


The hunter and his prey

by Bexter456



Series: The hunter and his prey [1]
Category: Gorillaz, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, M/M, Suicide Attempt, Vampire Hunters, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 66,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28648197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bexter456/pseuds/Bexter456
Summary: Murdoc is the proud leader of one of the biggest coven’s in London and Stuart is the hunter tasked with killing himI had to delete the original because of reasons. This is the exact same story just better edited and completed. If you were up to date on the original upload, you’re on chapter thirteen
Relationships: Ace Copular/Stuart "2D" Pot, Frank Iero/Gerard Way, Murdoc Niccals/Stuart "2D" Pot
Series: The hunter and his prey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099442
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Life as a hunter

It was a wet dreary night back in old London town. A tall slender gentleman arrived at his destination, carrying a suitcase. He was smartly dressed in a white shirt and a black silk waistcoat. He was quite 'unusual' to look at with a spiked shock of azure hair and coal-black eyes and people passing by had to do a double-take. He was used to this sort of attention, and paid them no mind as he was entering the building.

Inside, a fat balding man was pacing up and down his office with a cigar between his teeth. Every few minutes, he'd pause and look at his office door before pacing and puffing on his cigar.  
He jumped when there was a sudden sharp rapping on his door and he hurried over to open it, looking relieved when he saw who it was. "Ahh, Mr Pot? Do come in, do come in, take a seat." 

The figure gave a polite nod and sat on the chair opposite the man's desk followed by the chubby gentleman sitting in his chair looking extremely stressed. "Thank God you've come. We've had 3 murders in one week! The Guild said yew was the-" 

"Finest?" interjected Stuart Pot with a slight smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Mr Crane, I can assure yew every vampire I've been assigned to 'as been terminated." His elegance belied his cockney accent which gave him a charismatic charm. "I understand as the mayor o' London, yew want yewr people to be safe. I will take on this demon an' free yew from its evil ways."

Mr Crane sighed in relief and stood up to remove a picture from the wall. Behind it was a safe and when he opened it, it contained a vast amount of gold coins. "£10,000 as agreed if you can kill the damn thing. People are afraid to walk the streets!"

Stuart chuckled lightly to himself and rose from his chair. "Yew 'ave my word, Sir. In 3 days, this creature will be nothing but a memory~" Stuart bowed politely and took his leave to find an inn to stay at while he prepared himself for his mission... 

Stuart walked with purpose around the dark labyrinth of London searching for a suitable inn. It was very quiet, which was to be expected at such an hour and despite this particular route being one he had taken many times before, something was beginning to make him feel uneasy. The feeling was easy to dismiss at first but after a while, the feeling of being watched became hard to ignore.

Nevertheless, he continued on his way until he found a pleasant enough looking place to stay. As he entered, he was greeted by the extremely friendly landlady who showed him to a vacant room all the while assuring that his stay would be a pleasant one. With a kind, cheery smile, she left him alone to unpack his things.

He had packed very lightly for he suspected that this job would be over very quickly, as it always was. As he took off his hat and jacket he thought about how he would go about this particular kill. The letter he'd been sent outlined that this was quite an old vampire, though no one was quite sure just how old, who had been wreaking havoc over London for quite some years. According to the letter, every hunter that had been sent after him had seemingly disappeared off of the face of the earth. This, however, did not deter Stuart, for over 20 years of vampire hunting, surely he had seen worse had he not?

As a Vampire Hunter, Stuart was often in high demand and was always paid handsomely for his services. It was unusual for him to be awake during the day as his occupation changed his sleep cycle to that of a nocturnal one. In his room, he studied the letter again to get some sort of idea of what he was going up against and gave a small snort. He had killed older vampires than this so why was this one any different?

He opened his suitcase which and started to prepare for tonight's hunt. From his suitcase, he took out his hunting garb which consisted of a long, black coat lined with charms and talismans, a pair of silver capped boots with sharp spurs on the back of the heel and lastly, a black western style hat with a grey band going around the middle.

Now for his tools. Stuart smirked as he withdrew 2 silver pistols engraved with the Holy Cross on each of them. When the going got tough, these bad boys usually did the job. He twirled them in his fingers like an outlaw before pocketing them in their holsters around his waist. Next came the Kris knife which was his preferred method of killing. It was quiet, quick and sharp which was perfect for stealth which Stuart relied upon. The hunter had /everything/ freshly blessed at his local church before his arrival so if he was confident this would be an easy job. Sheathing his blade to his belt, he put on his hunting coat and took out a few phials of holy water, rosary beads, some cloves of garlic and the famous wooden Stake.

Organising these carefully in his coat pockets, he put on his bondolier which was loaded with silver bullets, stepped into his boots and finally placed his hat upon his head. Stuart looked smart yet dangerous liking to kill his targets with a sense of style. He smiled at his reflection in a nearby mirror before looking out of the window. The moon was at its highest which was his cue to leave.

As he came down the stairs, the inn fell silent as people stared at him in stunned awe. Again, the hunter was used to this and simply tipped his hat to them, uttering not a word as he opened the door and went outside. This hunt would be a bit tricky as he had been given no details on where this vampire resided so he couldn't just sneak into it's manor and kill it.

Waiting in the shadows, Stuart pressed his back against an alley wall, alert and vigilant in his silence as he unsheathed his knife. 

The hunt was on...

Murdoc was, for lack of a better word, bored. He was draped lazily over his favourite chair in the den contemplating whether not to go for a quick tour around London just to stretch his wings a little. Even though every part of him ached to go out, he knew it was too risky. He hadn't been able to sleep all day after the thrill of the previous night's hunt. His restlessness had made him extremely impatient for the sunset when he could finally leave the godforsaken cave where his coven had been forced to reside. Luckily the day was drawing to a close and the primus could not have been happier.  
One by one, the elder could hear his clan waking for their hunt. 

There were thirteen vampires in the clan, nine of which, including Murdoc, were born vampires. The other four vampires were those who were turned. Generally, vampires are, quite validly, sceptical of turned vampires, and especially those who haven't been in the coven for long. This particular group of vampires or "turned ones" as they are lovingly referred to as by the rest of the coven, have been turned for between fifty and two hundred and seventeen years and are considered family amongst the clan. It's very rare for a vampire to choose to turn a human as it requires time-consuming rituals, a goblet containing both vampire and human blood and, scariest of all, Murdoc's permission. 

Seven vampires would be hunting tonight, giving the others the chance to relax and enjoy the leftovers from yesterday's hunt. Tonight, their targets were the streets of Soho, where a vampire was almost guaranteed a decent meal when hunting alone. Murdoc didn't have the patience to be joking with the younger vampires and definitely couldn't be bothered sharing his hard-earned meal so he sent the excitable little bats off and wandered the dark streets, searching for his latest victim.

As always, Murdoc was aware of everything going on around him. As an elder, he was naturally more powerful than his pack but with his age, also came the development of some of his more bat-like features. For example, Murdoc could hear a heartbeat from over a mile away, which helped a lot when hunting. With the stealth of a ninja chameleon, the head vampire silently navigated the dingy streets, occasionally sniffing the air in hopes of catching the rich irony scent he craved so deeply. 

He walked for ages until he smelled something particularly enticing. It was like smoke and sweets with a certain alcoholic smell indicating that they'd perhaps indulged in a glass or two of wine earlier in the evening. Murdoc knew the risks of being caught, but none the less followed the smell to its source. He walked casually; one that indicated that he was just a gentleman on his way home from work. He continued his brisk stride until slowing as he came closer to his latest potential victim. As he turned the street corner, he was surprised to come across a man with an extremely unusual shock of blue hair and eyes that you'd read about in a horror novel. His eyes were completely black and somewhat disturbing to look at but Murdoc wasn't at all scared or disturbed, in fact, for the first time in his five hundred and thirty-seven years, Murdoc was well and truly intrigued by a human. The vampire came back to himself and finally stopped gawking as the human looked right back at him as if challenging him to say something.

As a Hunter, Stuart's senses were heightened to the point where he had the sharp vision and the hearing of a fox. It had taken months of training to fine-tune them back at the guild where he was trained. The story of Stuart Pot wasn't exactly a glamorous one. Vampire Hunter's ran in his family and went back generations. It was his duty to follow in the steps of his father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc and keep the people of London safe.

Of course, being a Hunter came with massive risks the main one being death. His father, Harold Pot had met his end 10 years ago fighting a Vampire and this fuelled Stuart's hatred for them. His mother was still alive and was all Stuart had left in the world so he was hellbent on protecting her, even going so far as to have her move in permanently with him in his cottage out in the country.

When he had to go on a hunt, he would call the local priest to bless the house and arm her with a loaded pistol just in case. He loved his mother dearly and hated that he put her in danger in his job, but he had no choice. He was very skilled at his work plus it put bread on the table.

Back on the streets of London, Stuart was still hiding in the shadows as he patiently waited for his target to emerge. He didn't have to wait long when a gentleman did come into view, instantly recognising him as a Vampire from how he looked. He could feel Murdoc's eyes on him as he slowly stepped out from the darkness, a nearby lamp lighting his features.  
Stuart stared right back, taking all of Murdoc in, surprised at how suave and handsome he looked. In his experience, vampires usually were good looking but this one was something else.

Stuart's eyes narrowed as he eyed up his target, slowly sheathing his knife and resting his hands on his pistols as they sat in their holsters. "Good evenin'," he said finally, cutting the silence that surrounded them. "I will take yewr head an purge this town of yewr filth, /abomination!/" he hissed the last word and with no warning, launched himself at Murdoc, withdrawing his pistols and firing straight at him. 

Each hunter had his method of killing and Stuart's was the element of surprise, to catch his foe off-guard and kill him where he stood. 

In the split second it had taken Stuart to draw his pistols, Murdoc had managed to move to the left. What had happened? He had never ever been caught off-guard by a hunter before. He really must be getting old. Luckily for him, he was still alert enough to have moved, which in turn caused Stuart to stop dead. Clearly, the writer of the letter hadn't deemed it important to mention that the vampire he'd been sent to kill was the primus. 

As Stuart came back to himself, Murdoc brushed off his shirt and looked him straight in the eyes. "Well that was rude, wouldn't you say? Did your mother never teach you any manners?" Despite his recent close call, the vampire's face bore a large sarcastic grin. Cheeky bastard.

Well, that was 2 silver bullets wasted. They weren't cheap either, he had to pay for each one. Stuart usually had the advantage when it came to speed thanks to his long legs and stamina but for Murdoc to simply move out of the way, it took the wind out of Stuart's sails a bit.

His guns smoking, he whipped around quickly, his coat flying behind him like a cape as he withdrew his guns, pointing them up at the starry sky as he stared at him with a look of both shock on his paling face. No Vampire he had ever gone up against was fast enough to avoid his bullets.

"..." The hunter wasn't quite sure what to say about what had just happened as he slowly lowered his guns back to their holsters. They would be of no use if he couldn't hit anything with them. He would have to get in close and use his knife. Everything was eerily quiet again as Stuart stared at Murdoc in stunned silence, his eyebrows starting to knit together in a dark frown when he saw the Vampire grinning back at him like a Cheshire Cat.

"What's the matter, sweetie, bat got your tongue?"

Now that he knew who this human was, he was determined to bite him (or at least play with him for a little bit). He circled him slowly, keeping his distance but still somehow staying uncomfortably close. He looked for obvious weapons but it appeared that they'd been concealed well. Usually, the hunters Murdoc came across just had a cross around their necks and a stake stuffed carelessly into their pocket. This was not one of London's infamous 'just pick up a knife and go' hunters; this one seemed to know what he was doing. "mmm, smart lad," Murdoc mumbled.   
He had said it mainly to himself but he did not doubt that Stuart had heard him.

Stuart looked back at him incredulously, taking in the whole 'bat got your tongue' gag. In the back of his mind, he had to admit it was a good one, but now wasn't the time for humour. He was in a dangerous situation as he watched Murdoc slowly circle him, standing completely still.

"Fine," he growled through gritted teeth, his eyes trained on Murdoc. "Yew speak of manners, no' tha' yew deserve 'em... Yew 'ave a simple choice." Stuart didn't like how Murdoc was studying him and kept stepping back when he felt he was getting a /bit/ too close. "Leave an' never come back," he continued, slowly pulling his knife from his bootstrap, the blade glinting dangerously in the moonlight. "Or die by my 'and."  
It had also occurred to him that Murdoc had called him 'sweetie', which he didn't take kindly too, either. "Go on, choose!" he snarled in a deeper voice to make himself feel more masculine, brandishing the blade. 

The vampire tilted his head to the side slightly. "Leave? But we've only just met," Murdoc stood still, taking in the hunter's expression. "Besides, I can't exactly go back to the den without something to show for my hunt, can I?" Murdoc slowly unsheathed his fangs. It wasn't a particularly aggressive gesture, it was more playful than anything, like a puppy barking at its owner. Murdoc's built up restless energy was most certainly not possible doing him any favours tonight. On any other day, Stuart would surely be dead by now

Murdoc's arrogance was really getting under Stuart's skin and he would make him pay for it. "I'd like to see yew try." he snorted with a smirk of his own. "Touch me an' yew'll wish yew'd never met me." He opened his coat briefly to show that he was protected by divine magic. Holy water, charms, the works.

"I have neither the time nor standards to exchange words with vermin like yew." His grip on the knife tightened as he readied himself to attack. "Farewell, /scum/." The hunter smirked before charging towards him with great speed, the tip of the Kris knife aiming right for the vampire's heart.

Thinking quickly, Murdoc turned to the side, grabbed Stuart's wrist and forced his arm behind his back. The unnatural positioning of his arm caused his to scream out and drop his knife, which Murdoc quickly kicked as far away as possible. While the human's other hand fumbled for the stake concealed within his jacket, Murdoc caught his other wrist and positioned it with the other one. Using his right hand to contain both of Stuart's arms, it became quite obvious that perhaps he isn't as fit as he looks as he writhed in hopes of freedom. Everything inside of Murdoc told him bite! Feed! Now! He leaned down slightly to look Stuart right into the black voids that constituted his eyes, softly stroking down his face with his free hand. 

"You humans never seem to learn do you?" With that Murdoc leaned down further, and cold, chapped lips met warm, soft ones in a sweet embrace that neither of them could've anticipated.

Stuart was underestimating Murdoc's abilities which had lead to this massive mistake. He was supposed to be the best of the best! How was Murdoc besting him at every turn?  
When Murdoc twisted his arm behind his back, the hunter cried out in pain, the knife dropping to the floor with a clatter. "ARRRGHHH FUCK!!!"

But wait! He still had a glimmer of hope with the stake in his coat. Sadly, fate was against Stuart this evening as his other hand was restrained leaving him immobilised. He struggled frantically like a rat in a trap which only made his arm hurt all the more so he soon stopped. "D-Damn yew...!" he hissed catching his breath, trying to lean away as he found his face only a few inches away from Murdoc's.

/Now/ he felt afraid. A Vampire had never gotten the better of him before. Stuart froze completely when he felt Murdoc gently stroke his face, his eyes widening as he could do nothing but stare back at him, the Vampire's red-eye almost hypnotic. 'This is it...' he thought, closing his eyes as he waited for an agonising death, his heart hammering against his chest. He thought of his dear mother and how he had failed her...

What happened next came completely out of the blue. His eyes flew open when he felt something cold against his lips and they almost popped out of his skull when he saw that he was being /kissed/! The hunter went rigid like a statue as he stood there in complete shock, his cheeks quickly turning deep pink.

Stuart didn't have time for relationships in his occupation as he was always busy killing but he always thought of himself as straight. Now, THIS was happening! Coming to his senses, Stuart struggled against Murdoc, grunting and groaning as he turned his head trying to desperately break the Vampire's kiss. "Mmm-mmph!?" 

Murdoc moved Stuart's arms slightly down his back, easing the pain but still keeping him in place. Finally releasing him, he looked the hunter in the eyes once more as if looking for something. And just like that, it was over as soon as it had begun (whatever 'it' was). There was no hint of sarcasm or playfulness in the vampire; there didn't seem to be much of anything. Still looking his predator in the eyes he whispered: "you'll never learn..." And before the human could open his eyes, Murdoc had seemingly disappeared.

And like that, it was over. Stuart gasped as he felt the pressure on his lips leave and opened his eyes to see...Nothing? He blinked and looked around frantically for Murdoc but he was nowhere to be seen. Still panting from his encounter, Stuart cautiously walked over to his knife and picked it up, still looking around on high alert.

"W...Where are yew...?!" he called in a hoarse voice before clearing his throat and trying again. "Vampire!" His mind was so confused. Why had the creature kissed him instead of killed him? Stuart wiped his mouth on his sleeve looking repulsed. He had technically been kissed by a corpse.

There was another thing that bothered him. His charms and such had no effect at all on Murdoc. He had gotten right up into the hunter's face with no problem at all. Frowning as he tried to figure it out, Murdoc had vanished into the night so there was no point in sticking around.

He started to head back to the inn, still pondering the night's strange events.


	2. Back for seconds

Murdoc was... confused. As he soared over the sleeping city, he thought about his encounter with the hunter and what all of this meant. It was most definitely not Murdoc's first kiss and it certainly wasn't his first kiss with a boy either so why couldn't he stop thinking about it. Perhaps it was the danger of kissing someone with the complete ability to kill him? Or was it the look of almost awe in Stuart's deep, black eyes as Murdoc held him down... What? No. Well... maybe. Whatever it was, he knew that would certainly not be the last he saw of Stuart Pot.

Meanwhile, back at the inn, Stuart was going up to his room. When he arrived, he locked the door behind him so he could undress. He was as puzzled as Murdoc. "Why did he do tha'?" he asked himself, frowning as he kicked his boots off and hung up his coat. "It's a trick." he decided finally with a nod as he took off his shirt and trousers, his pale, slim body like porcelain, pure and untouched. "He tricked me an' I fell for it."

Getting into bed, Stuart looked out of his window as he laid down with a frustrated sigh. "Jus' yew wait, I'll get yew..." he vowed before settling down for the remainder of the night. The hunter slept right through until the afternoon due to his fucked up sleeping pattern and re-read the letter he had been given over and over to see if he had missed any details.

When evening came, he geared himself up again and went out into the streets, not bothering to hide himself this time. He was going to try a different approach this time and be more casual. Stuart scanned the skies and rooftops for any signs of activity, waiting for his enemy to make himself known.

Murdoc waited on the rooftops on the street where he first met the hunter who had confused him so much. Eventually, he arrived and waited... and waited... and waited. Murdoc silently observed, well hidden. After a while, Murdoc's old joints began to get very sore. He stood up slowly, ready to leave when he heard something. He immediately got back into his hiding place, fearing he had been caught and listened carefully. The hunter was singing. He didn't recognise the song so he assumed it must've been original and it was unlike anything he'd ever heard before. While speaking, Stuart's cockney accent could be so harsh and aggressive but this was so smooth and beautiful. Murdoc laid back and just listened, focusing on every single syllable that came from his enemy's mouth in complete and utter contentment.

As the days went on, the two of them fell into a sort of routine. Murdoc would show up and dusk and get into his hiding spot and then Stuart would appear and wait for hours for Murdoc to appear, but he never would, or so he thought.   
After two weeks of waiting and waiting, Murdoc had come up with a plan to finally get his attention. So for the fifteenth, and final, time, Murdoc sat on the rooftop, awaiting the hunter's arrival. 

Each night, Stuart returned to the inn empty-handed, frustrated when the vampire refused to face him. Murdoc was wasting his time when he could be at home with his mother rather than waiting for something that wouldn't come. Plus, he had to explain to the mayor that this was taking longer than usual as he didn't know WHERE Murdoc lived. Or that he had minions. If he knew, he was confident he would have slain him weeks ago.

Stuart had many strings to his bow when it came to talent other than hunting. He could play the piano and, as Murdoc heard, he could sing with the voice of an angel. He chose this tactic to seem more approachable and hope to lure Murdoc out but it didn't seem to be working. Or so he thought.

"Another nigh' o' failure..." he sighed walking down the alley into the street again looking miserable. This was costing him money, he /had/ to make a kill soon or he would be forced to live in the streets

As Stuart approached, right on time as always, Murdoc stealthily snuck up behind him, as playful as ever. "Miss me, darling?" The hunter opened his mouth to start his nightly aria when he froze hearing a familiar gravelly voice behind him.

"JESUS CHRIST!!" He yelled quickly turning around and slashing out with his knife, missing Murdoc by inches. "Oh, yew finally decided to show up, then..." he panted holding his hand over his heart as he frowned at him, keeping the knife close to him, this time.

"An' DON' call me tha'!" he snapped, irritated at Murdoc's smugness. "D'yew 'ave any idea 'ow much money I've lost cos' o' yew? Yewr head, however, should win some of it back..."

Murdoc, however, was having none of it. He was sick of Stuart's attitude even after he'd taken time out of his night to come and see him. The cheek of it! "It's alright, don't get your knickers in a twist, love. Think about it: loads of hunters have been sent after me and do you know how many have survived? None. You should thank yourself lucky that I've let you live, never mind the money!" Now that he thought about it, why had he let Stuart live? All he seemed to do was make sarcastic comments and threats to his life (sort of).

Stuart listened to him quietly, unable to believe what he was hearing. Never, in his entire career, had a Vampire tried bargaining with him and honestly, he wasn't sure what to say. When he heard the word 'coven', his eyes widened. He could destroy the nest from within if he agreed to this.

Stuart chewed his lip as he thought about it. Murdoc was giving him the option to walk away right now if he spared his life. Maybe he could learn more about him if he agreed?  
Plus, his dear mother would have protection. "Alrigh', Vampire," he said finally looking up at him. "I accept yewr offer on one condition," he said sternly holding up a finger to emphasise his point.

"Leave this city in peace. Have your underlings feast elsewhere. Agree to this and I will go with yew." Deep down, Stuart found Murdoc intriguing and as mentioned did want to find out more about him and his coven before striking. The hunter held out his hand keeping his eyes glued to Murdoc's as he waited for the Vampire to take his deal.

This surprised the vampire to no end. He hadn't thought for a second that Stuart would take him up on his offer. He considered his condition. The pack would probably appreciate a change of scenery and no one had brought home a human in decades. However, it might bring up questions regarding Murdoc's sudden soft streak; he never even took time to speak to humans and the pack knew it. Regardless, the primus knew what he was going to do. The smile slowly returned to his face as he held out his hand. "Deal."

Obviously, Stuart was unable to fly so they were forced to walk to the hunter's house before setting off to the den. This irritated Murdoc slightly but he could handle it if it meant he got more time to try and figure out the man who was supposed to be his enemy.

Stuart knew the massive risk he was putting up himself in, but he didn't have much of a choice. Come Hell or high water, he would protect his mother at any cost, even stooping to make a deal with the Head of the Vampires. As they walked, Stuart kept giving Murdoc glances to make sure he wasn't going to try anything funny.

Being a human, he was walking into the Lion's den as fresh bait. "I warn yew Mr...." He paused, not knowing the Vampire's name and shook his head before continuing. "If yewr pack try to attack me, I /will/ defend myself. I also need to explain a few things to my mother so I ask that yew wait ou'side for me."

Murdoc simply smiled. "I assure you, every member of my pack is under my ruling and everything I say is obeyed without question. If one of them even tries to lay a finger on you, which I sincerely doubt, I will tear them limb from limb without a second thought. Take as much time as you need with your mother, I, quite literally,  
have all of the time in the world." With that, Murdoc stood outside the door, facing the empty street as he listened to the sounds of two drunkards sing obnoxiously loudly on their way home from a, surely riveting, night out.

Well, that gave Stuart a bit of reassurance but he would still be on his guard. Stuart entered the house and spent a good half an hour in there giving a false reason why he wouldn't be coming home for a while. He didn't tell her about his deal with Murdoc as he knew it would frighten her.

Promising to keep up his visits, the hunter finally emerged with some luggage. "If /anythin'/ 'appens to 'er..." he warned a final time before sliding his finger across his neck. Murdoc made finger guns and pointed them at the other, "noted." After a minute of staring each other down Murdoc turned on his heel "well, c'mon then lovely, we've gotta be home by sunrise," he said jovially before leading Stuart to his new home for the foreseeable future.

As they walked, they talked about anything and everything, mainly relating to what to expect at the den. After what seemed like hours of endless walking, they arrived at the entrance to a seemingly empty cave. There was no suggestion that anyone could be living inside it and Murdoc reassured him that he'd be fine and the pack would love him.

Before they entered, Murdoc whistled a sound of such frequency, that it could make any human's head feel like it was imploding. Within a few seconds, a bat flew out of the cave and landed directly onto Murdoc's shoulder. "Stuart, this is Ace. Ace, this is Stuart." Before any more could be said, the bat on Murdoc's shoulder had disappeared and was replaced with a lanky, clearly younger vampire with a similar complexion to Murdoc's. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Stuart," he said with the dorkiest Boston accent Stuart had ever heard in his entire life.

In all honesty, Stuart didn't know what to expect. He felt nervous the closer they got to Murdoc's dwelling, his casual talking becoming less and less. When they finally arrived, the hunter's free hand immediately went to his gun on instinct but he stopped himself and made a fist, letting it rest against his leg. He liked to think of himself as fearless but right now, he was afraid and VERY uneasy.

When Murdoc whistled, the hunter immediately pulled his hat down over his ears, gritting his teeth. It was like a rusty nail on a chalkboard but 20 times worse. After checking his ears weren't bleeding, he watched a single bat fly out from the cave and stepped back in alarm when it morphed into a vampire. But it wasn't the transformation that startled him. No, he had seen that happen hundreds of times with Vampires so he was used to it. 

It was chilling how Murdoc knew his name when he hadn't given it...Looking just a little bit grey, the hunter stared back at Murdoc astounded before slowly turning his focus to Ace. "...Good," he paused and looked over his shoulder out of the mouth of the cave to estimate the time by looking at the sky. "Evenin'..." he answered quickly, giving a nod of his head. Ace's accent was certainly 'unique' and Stuart had never heard anything quite like it.

"So, eh, Murdoc... is Stuart like a friend or..."   
Murdoc stared at him with a killer gaze, the dark thankfully hiding the contrast between his pale skin and pink face, "he will be staying with us for the foreseeable future and while he is with us, he will be treated like a God amongst men or Satan help me I'll kill you all." Ace looked vaguely threatened but he was used to it. He was then dismissed to inform the others of their new den-mate and unknown to Murdoc and Stuart, rumours quickly began to spread or Murdoc's true intentions for his new little toy.

Following Ace, they walked through the cave into a large, well-decorated room with about six or seven vampires all going about their business, playing cards or chatting animatedly to each other. "Boys," each and every person went completely silent and looked in their leader's direction "as I'm sure Ace has informed you, from today, you all have a new den-mate. If you have any problems with that, you can take them up with me." He turned his gaze to the blue-haired hunter beside him. "Welcome Stuart, to the Lost Boys of London town"


	3. Meeting the coven

Stuart knew exactly what Ace was talking about and swallowed hard, trying his damnedest to stay calm. First impressions were always important and he didn't want Ace to think of him as a pussy. His ears pricked up when Murdoc spoke, not expecting his words to come out so strongly. He sounded...Protective. But was it an empty threat? Would Murdoc kill his whole clan over a human?

A God?! That surprised him too. Maybe Murdoc was still grateful that Stuart had spared him. Yeah, that had to be it.   
He followed them both deeper into the cave his eyebrows vanishing upwards into his fringe when it looked pretty decent in there. Who knew you could do so much with a cave? Stuart froze when he was presented to the rest of the group as the new kid at school. 

He could feel their eyes on him and he was thanking God that his true eyes were filled with blood as his pupils would be nothing more than 2 small dots. The hunter had never been in the presence of so many Vampires at once so it was understandable that he felt intimidated, especially as it was obvious he was a hunter.

Stuart tipped his hat to them and cleared his throat, making sure to keep his weapons on show just in case one of them tried anything but the way Murdoc ruled over them, it didn't seem likely. "Fank yew, I er...Look forward to gettin' to know all o' yew."

Murdoc could feel the tension in the room over Stuart's entrance. He had brought a hunter into their home so they had a right to be, and Murdoc knew for a fact that none of them doubted Murdoc's threat. After all, the primus was the most ruthless of the vampires, which was partly why they were so shocked that he'd brought home a hunter of all things. To try and ease some of the tension, he tried his best to act as normally as possible, cracking jokes with the others and trying to naturally include Stuart into their conversations. Eventually, more of the clan were invited to come and say hi but no more than two at once to keep Stu from getting too overwhelmed. He fit in surprisingly well and by the end of the night, Stuart knew all of their names and ranks within the pack.

It was a huge risk not only for Stuart but for the clan as well. The human was a skilled hunter and /could/ potentially start to attack but this would have been incredibly foolish. He was outnumbered 7-1 including the Primus and would be torn to shreds the second he made a move.

No, he would bide his time, earn the trust of the pack and THEN strike the 'nest' from within. He would have to pick them off one by one but for now, he didn't think too deeply into it. He had to be amicable and 'blend in' so that they would accept him. Stuart shook hands with each Vampire he was introduced to with a charming (yet adorable) smile that showed his missing teeth.

Once he was familiar with everyone, he turned to the leader whom he felt a bit more at ease with. Probably because he had known him longer. "So, Murdoc, is it?" he asked taking his hat off so that the Primus could see him properly, his hair spiking up at the back. "May I inquire as to where I'll be sleepin'?"

Murdoc, being the fool that he is, hadn't thought about this in the slightest. All the vampires slept in two rooms lined with coffins, with the girls taking one room and the lads had the other. Murdoc assumed that Stuart might not be the happiest about sharing a room with multiple vampires, never mind having to sleep in a coffin. Luckily, due to. their high ranks within the pack, Ace and the primus had their own, separate rooms and Ace, being the gentleman that he is, Ace was quick to offer up his room for Stuart. "Very well then Stu," the leader began "you have two choices, you can stay in my room or Aces. It's up to you."

Stuart was surprised when Ace volunteered his room, half expecting Murdoc to insist that he slept in /his/ room. He was still uncomfortable with Murdoc calling him pet names and wasn't sure if the Primus would want to spoon him or something. They had only met twice and despite Murdoc's promise, Stuart knew how sly Vampires could be.

"Oh, tha's very kind, fank yew!" he smiled looking at Ace appreciatively before looking back at Murdoc. "I mean, yew know if there's room. I know I'm no' a big bloke but I could always pitch a tent ou'side..." he trailed off, actually preferring that option but he didn't want to seem rude by rejecting both choices but there was no way Stuart was sleeping in a coffin. The very thought of it made him shudder. "I won' take up much space, I'll jus' sleep on the floor. Good for yewr back, tha' is. I can't be doing with spendin' my nights in a coffin neither" He looked from Ace to Murdoc unable to fully relax.

Murdoc simply scoffed. "You think that I, Murdoc Faust Niccals, primus of the most notorious vampire clans in the entirety of London, if not the whole of England, sleep in a coffin? I'm a bit above that, don't you think? I figured you wouldn't be into the whole coffin scene which is why only Ace and I volunteered. However, if you want to pitch a tent outside the cave, go ahead, but you'll be damn cold. Also, just between you and me," Murdoc leaned close, getting uncomfortably close to Stu's ear, "I don't think it will do wonders for your popularity if everyone is wondering where you are and what you're doing every night"

"N-No! O course no'!" the hunter babbled, worried he had upset Murdoc. The last thing he needed was for them to turn on him for insulting their leader. "Forgive me..." He bowed his head before looking at Ace awkwardly. 

"I should be delighted. Yew are both most generous~" He picked up his luggage right as Murdoc leaned right into his personal space. Stuart's heart was racing as he spoke and he was certain every Vampire in the room could hear it. He didn't know why, but when Murdoc got close to him, he felt...Weird. His cheeks would blush and he'd get a fluttery feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Er, c-could yew escort me, Ace?" he asked almost timidly as he took a small step back from Murdoc, not wanting him to get /too/ close and smell his blood.

Ace's ears perked up from hearing his name. "Oh sure, here, lemme grab ya bags for ya. I can't have our guest be carrying all this heavy stuff around. Come and follow me, it's just down here." During the encounter, Ace's ears had slowly become redder and redder, eventually turning a bright scarlet. Ace waddled off to his room inviting Stu to join him.

Back in the (not so) living room, Frank came up beside Murdoc, unable to keep himself from laughing. "Gee Mudz, it looks like Ace really likes your new toy, huh?" Murdoc slowly retracted his fangs (when they had made an appearance, he did not know) "if he even tries to lay a hand on him, I'll rip his throat out." Frank smiled cheekily   
"Oh goodie, there hasn't been any good bloodshed around here for a century!" Murdoc chuckled and lightly punched Frank in the arm. "Oh shut up you little git."

Back in Ace's room. The friendly vamp had set up a small bed next to his own, while he had given his bed to Stuart. Ace liked Stuart, and despite them only knowing each other for four hours, at most, Ace was willing to do almost anything to keep his guest happy. Such was common amongst vampires; manners came before anything else and they were especially important to Ace, having being brought up by Murdoc.

"Too kind, too kind~" Stuart smiled with a small bow as Ace carried his luggage for him before looking at Murdoc with a nod as if to say, 'see you later'. Once they were in Ace's room, Stuart removed his hunting coat to reveal a casual linen shirt underneath as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. Stuart liked Ace as well, especially as he was kind enough to share his room.

With a slight groan, the hunter removed his weighty bandolier and let it fall to the floor with a metallic 'thunk' along with his gun holsters. "Don' mind all this gear..." he said sheepishly stashing it beside his bed and stretching his back now that he felt a few pounds lighter. Stuart sat down on his bed, impressed at its softness and gave a small giggle. 

"It's nice in 'ere. Fanks again for-" When he laid eyes on Ace, he could tell something was on his mind. "Yew alrigh'? Yew look a bit flushed." 

Ace snapped out of his daze "what? Who? Me? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Nothin wrong here. No sir." He inwardly cringed at himself. He'd never had a human in his room before, never mind a cute one! He tried to help as much as he could to help Stu put his stuff away neatly. Luckily, he'd always been very meticulous about his room being clean, much unlike the others in the coven (yes Gee, that means you). 

Eventually, everything was put away and Ace was exhausted. It must have been around 1:00 pm which was way past his usual bedtime (what? he likes consistency, ok?) He assumed that Stuart must have been quite tired after also staying awake all night. "Ya know, I have no idea why Mudz brought you here, but I'm really glad he did. You're a good guy, Stu"

The hunter was grateful for Ace's help in putting his knick-knacks away and neatly folding his hunting gear for him. Stuart liked to be organised, but he didn't often have time to be neat because of his job. It was one after the other and was very tiring.

"Well, if yew're sure..." Stuart gave him a warm smile before laying down on his bed with a sigh, the events of a long night catching up with him. "Jesus, I'm knackered..." His eyes were closed and he had a washed-out, yet peaceful look on his face - that was until Ace voiced his liking for him. The hunter chuckled and rolled onto his side to look at him, that cute little blush coming back to his cheeks.

"Most, well, /all/ Vampire's 'ate me for obvious reasons. In all my years o' huntin', yew an' Murdoc are the only ones who like me." He started to laugh again, propping himself up on one elbow. "I 'ave no idea why!" Stuart's laughter subsided but he kept that contagious smile of his as he looked back at Ace."Tha's really sweet o' yew to say, though. I think yew an' I are gonna get on jus' fine~"

"Ah don't worry about it, they hate me as well," he chuckled "there must just be something about us, huh?" He was completely at ease, despite just how uncomfortable his makeshift bed was. Ace let out an almighty yawn. "You're great Stu, you should stick around. I've been needing some proper mates around here." Ace looked deep into Stuart's black orbs, entranced by them.

Stuart watched his fangs when he yawned, prompting him to yawn himself, covering his mouth to be polite. "You're a nice gent yewrself, Ace. I'm gonna 'ave to find a way to repay yew for sharin' yewr room. I-I promise I'll be tidy an' stay ou' o' the way..."

Stuart looked at the doorway with a sigh. "It looks like I'm gonna be around for a while. I'm no' even sure myself why Murdoc brought me 'ere. Probably as an emergency blood bank..." He looked back at Ace and jumped a bit when he saw how intently he was looking into his eyes. He cleared his throat and rolled onto his back again, putting his hands behind his head as he kicked his boots off, careful not to cut himself on the spurs.

"W-Well er, it's been a long nigh'. I'm gonna turn in." He closed his eyes and sighed, still feeling Ace's eyes on him. He felt like a mouse in front of a cat but something told him that Ace wasn't going to give him any shit. He was a nice guy and their friendship would blossom. "Rest well, Ace~"

"Don't worry about paying me back, good company is rewarding enough." his eyes were slowly drooping shut "hehe, are you joking? Murdoc is a Primus, he could snap his fingers and he'd have a weeks worth of feed at his disposal. I think it's more the company he's after; we're a lonely lot, us vampires." He forced his eyes to open one last time to get a last look at his new friend, "goodnight Stuart."

In the dining room, the vampires were stuffing their faces with a range of fruits and pastries. None of them had ever shown an interest in 'human food' before but when it was in front of them, they couldn't deny it was delicious. Murdoc chuckled heartily "oi! pack it in lads, save some for our guest, will ya?" The vampires all knew there was no malice in his words but they all backed away from the table.

Stuart lowered his arm looking a bit disappointed when Ace said no. "I-I'll save some for yew!" he called over his shoulder as he was swiftly whisked away by Murdoc. He had really hoped Ace would join them...

When they arrived in the dining hall, Stuart's eyes widened when he saw the rest of the clan tucking into actual food. Well, they weren't draining people for blood so that was a bonus. The hunter took a seat at the table and rubbed his hands as he licked his lips, helping himself to some coffee and a cake or 5. 

"Well, this goes against everyfin' I was taugh' at the Guild," he said in a muffled voice, his cheeks bulging with cake before gulping it down. "I didn't know yew lo' could eat 'food' food. I always 'eard tha' yew lived solely on blood."

Murdoc was confused "nothing is stopping us from having 'food food' as you call it. The problem is that we can't go out into the sun, so we get no iron whatsoever. The blood we drink contains loads of iron so it keeps us going. drinking the blood of a primus is also what turns you into a vampire in the first place. It was traditionally a sort of they bite you, you bite them situation but that gets messy so we tend to harvest it when necessary and then put it in a freezer. Vampires aren't the primitive beasts we once were, my darling. We've evolved, too." Murdoc continued to snack on small bits of pastries, his attention currently devoted to a warm pain au chocolate. "So dear, any other burning questions about vampires? I won't get offended, pinky promise." With a cheeky grin and a raised eyebrow, Murdoc's attention was brought right back to the beautiful boy with the bright blue hair.

It was clear that Stuart was gradually becoming more relaxed in their presence as he knew he had Murdoc's protection as Primus. Not only that, but he was starting to get the gist that Murdoc was quite fond of him what with all these little pet names he kept calling him. Or maybe he was just being friendly?

Sipping his coffee and letting out a satisfied 'aaahhh', Stuart looked over his shoulder to see if Ace was coming. Nope. Disheartened, he returned his attention to Murdoc as he tried to think of a question. "Oh! I do 'ave one. When I'm on a hunt, I'm always stuffed to the brim wiv' 'oly water, charms, an' all tha' jazz." He leaned an elbow on the table as he started to eat another cake. "Usually, tha' does the trick in repellin' Vampires but...Yew weren't affected at all. Neither was Ace when he 'alped me put my stuff away, come to tha'..."

Murdoc simply laughed. "Holy water doesn't do us damage unless it comes into direct contact with our skin. Even then, dependant on the amount, it could just end in an allergic reaction sort of thing. If there is enough, the effects are similar to a strong acid. Extremely painful, would not recommend. As for charms and shit, a cross only works if it's made of wood and has been blessed by a priest. Any of those 'vampire repelling charms' you can buy in markets shaped like figure eights and stuff are a load of rubbish. You can't just wave a key ring at a vampire and expect them to just cease to exist." Murdoc knew that he shouldn't be giving a hunter of all people step by step instructions as to how to wipe out his species but he trusted Stu and he hoped that answering his questions would perhaps make him feel like he could trust Murdoc also. 

"May I ask you a question?"

It was interesting to get the facts straight from the horses' mouth, so to speak. It would help Stuart out once he was finally finished here and moved on to other hunts.  
"Urgh, all tha' money I wasted..." he groaned with a flat expression on his face.

When Murdoc posed him with a mystery question, Stuart was naturally intrigued and scooted his chair a bit closer, folding his arms on the table nonchalantly. "Shoot."

"Don't worry about it, if it makes you feel any better, I once spent £100 on a silver earring. Seeing as you're a hunter, I'm sure you know that vampires can't touch silver." Murdoc shook his head lightly, remembering his foolishness. A goofy smile still lit up his face. "So um... if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your eyes? Don't get me wrong, they're beautiful but I've never seen anything like them."

Although Stuart was listening to Murdoc, he kept wondering where Ace was and would glance down the hall now and then but alas, to no avail. He chuckled at Murdoc's story and patted himself down in front of him to make sure he wasn't wearing any silver.

"Don' worry, I'm clean. My silver bullets an' dangerous stuff's back in Ace's room." The hunter laughed at Murdoc's question, knowing it was only a matter of time before that one would come up. "Well, I 'ad a 'disagreement' wiv' a Witch a few years back. FYI, don' /ever/ get into an argument wiv' one." he added with a roll of his eyes.

"To cut a long story short, she cursed me. All over a stupid argument! I used to 'ave steel grey eyes an' blonde 'air an' she cast this spell on me to turn me into a demon or a frog, or wotever." He snorted a laugh. "I fink she was new to magic as I changed into 'this'." he pointed to himself with a smirk.  
"I killed 'er, naturally. Can' go around turnin' people into...Wotever the fuck I am. People are afraid o' me, especially children an' don' even get me started on girlfriends." The hunter didn't seem bothered about his appearance at all, it helped to intimidate his foes.

"Ultimate pussy repellent." he snorted pointing a thumb to himself. 

"You're joking! A witch?" Murdoc couldn't stop himself from laughing. He certainly wasn't laughing at Stuart but instead the pure insanity of his story. "Mate, if I had to describe you as one thing, it would certainly not be a pussy repellent. Either way, I know for a fact that you aren't exactly vampire repellent. You've got 'alf my coven drooling over you." Murdoc very quickly realised he'd said too much but before Stuart could form a reply, a certain salty vampire had come out of hiding.

"Acey, good to see you finally up, buddy! Have you been smoking? your eyes are quite red." Murdoc was genuinely concerned for the younger. Ace had always been like a baby brother to him, and seeing him act so weirdly was freaking him out. Ace answered quickly, "oh no, think I must've got some dust in my eyes, those books haven't been moved in ages hehe." Murdoc didn't press on the matter, despite how much he longed to. He decided that he'd bring it up when they were alone. Ace sat down at the table with them, to Murdoc's right, as was customary, and smiled shyly at Stuart.

Murdoc chirped up once again "ya know, Stu's a very human name don't you think? Everyone has a nickname around here and seeing as you're an honorary vampire for the foreseeable future, you might as well get your own, what do ya say?"

The hunter laughed along with him which soon faltered when Murdoc said more than he should have about several Vampire's fancying him. Really? Him?! But he wasn't gay! Or so he thought. He had always been a straight male and being surrounded by gay individuals who had taken a liking to him made him feel a bit awkward, especially as he was sitting right next to their good looking leader. 

"I-I jus' wanna say-" Before he could get his words out, Ace made himself known and while Stuart was happy to see him, his face dropped a bit when he could see he had been crying. Had the hunter done something wrong? Had he unknowingly upset him in some way? Naive to the actual reason, Stuart was on the verge of asking him if everything was ok as the Vampire sat down by Murdoc but held his tongue as he acknowledges his smile with a small nod before looking down.

However, he quickly looked at Murdoc when he spoke of a Vampiric name for him. "I-I beg yewr pardon, 'foreseeable' future?" he stammered feeling the hairs on the back of his neck start to prickle and stand on end. "Is tha' why yew brought me 'ere...?" Stuart didn't look very well all of a sudden and pushed the remainder of his food away.

Ace and Murdoc both turned to each other, equally confused. Was he planning on leaving straight away? The agreement was that he'd stick around in exchange for protection, wasn't it? Suddenly, the realisation of his poor choice of words hit Murdoc like a truck. He'd managed to spook Stu and now they were back to square one. Ace was still adorably confused. "I just meant I don't know how long you're planning on sticking around for. Trust me, if I was planning on turning you, you'd be the first to know, lovely"

Ace finally understood the misunderstanding and giggled "a human can't be turned unless they drink the blood of the head vampire. No one here can force you into anything you don't want to and even if they tried, none of them have access to Murdoc's blood. Hell! Even I have no idea how to get to it!" The younger vampire smiled subtly, trying to put the distressed hunter at ease.

Well NOW he felt stupid. Stuart blinked a couple of times as he quickly remembered their agreement and broke out into a grin, the relief on his face un-measurable. "Forgive me. God, what an idiot!" He started to chuckle before composing himself and clearing his throat. "Yeah, tha' was the agreement. Me in exchange for the protection of London town - and my Mother." he added in a slightly sterner tone. "So, looks like I'll be stickin' around for quite a while."

Seeing Ace smile did make him feel better and he returned it in his usual friendly way. "A thousand pardons, Murdoc."

Murdoc chuckled and Ace released a breathe he didn't know he was holding. "It's all right, Stu. You've literally been taught that we're a threat you're entire life. No one expects you to be totally cool with everything right away and now that those bloody pigs have polished off everyone's breakfast," he gave a very pointed stare towards Frank and Gee whose guilty faces where still stuffed with whatever they could find, "we can chill for a while. Anyone got any suggestions?" The vampires all chirped up their ideas, but Lydia's in particular caught his attention. "Hmmm... a movie might not be a bad idea actually. Stu, you can pick if you want, don't worry about these lot, they'll watch anything if it keeps them occupied."

Ace looked delighted, "yeah, that sounds awesome! Just don't make it too scary, I'm awful fond of sleep, ya know?" Just having to have his own input, Murdoc scoffed "oh shurrup, ya little goody two fangs. You're a vampire for Satan's sake!" There was no malice behind his words but Ace wasn't happy about being called a 'goody two fangs' in front of the man he idolised

Stuart have Frank and Gee a joking look of accusation while they snickered at each other. They were the first mated vampires Stuart had ever seen and damn they were made for each other. "Fanks for the grub, I'm stuffed." he smiled rubbing the barely there bump in his stomach. When the clan chattered about an activity, Stuart was taken with Lydia's choice. "I can' remember the last time I watched a film~" he mused thoughtfully.

He didn't mind at all what film they watched and wanted to be considerate of Ace's dislike for horror. However, he couldn't stop the laugh that came from his lips when Murdoc berated him. Stuart didn't mean it maliciously, it was just how the Primus had said it. "Forgive me," he chuckled at him, standing up and clearing his throat.

"Maybe wiv' Murdoc's permission, we could 'ave a vote so everyone can 'ave a say?" he suggested.

"Aw Stu, ever the democrat. Right guys, gather around! Anyone who has a suggestion, shout it out and everyone can vote!" the first suggestion that came up was Lydia's "let's watch The Craft!"   
"Great start, all for The Craft raise your right hand!" All four girls raised their hands. The next one was from Ace   
"Oh! Oh! Bill and Ted!" a lot of hands went up at that one.   
"oooh, could be a close one, folks! Any other suggestions?" Dustin was quick to shout  
"Twilight!" very slowly, everyone turned to look at Dustin. He sank back into his seat "hey guys... I was just jokin' hehe"  
Murdoc sighed "let's ignore that one... alright, last one guys or we're watching Bill and Ted"  
The final suggestion was said by Frank and Gee at the exact same time "Call me by your name!" immediately everyone gasped and everyone raised their hands.  
"Well then, it's settled. Go on then lads, into the movie room!"

Immediately, all the vampires stampeded to get into the movie room with Ace, Stu and Murdoc following behind. "Come on lad, you can sit with us."

Even Stuart gave Dustin a 'are you fucking kidding me?' look before the film was finally decided, chuckling at their excited reactions. They were just like kids! This would be interesting as Stuart had never seen this particular film and moved to step in with the 'herd' before Murdoc gave his permission to sit with him.

In Vampire society, he knew this was a great honour and would treat it as such. If he was going to stay here, he would have to adapt to their way of living. "Can I?" he asked, his eyes widening. "Ow very gracious o' yew~"

"of course, you're our guest after all." Murdoc's signature smirk was back as he sat down in the seat to the left of Stuart. It was an extremely unusual move and the vampires knew it. The Primus never ever sits down after someone else, unless they were courting, yet Murdoc had completely allowed it, encouraged it even. They were all dumbfounded, but stayed silent as Allison got up to put the film on. Ace stood to Stuart's right, "hey, may i sit here?" 

"Fank yew, kindly~" he smiled also noticing that Murdoc sat down after he did. That was quite a shock and he looked just as stunned as the rest of them. It was like a King letting a commoner sit on his throne. He felt that little pang of excitement again when Murdoc sat next to him and before he could mentally question himself why he was feeling like this, he heard that unmistakable voice on his other side.

"Course yew can, mate!" Stuart beamed patting the empty seat before freezing and looking at Murdoc. "I-I mean if yewr Primus will allow it?" The last thing he wanted to do was make Murdoc feel like /he/ was calling the shots. That would just be plain rude and his popularity would plummet. He decided to grovel a bit to stroke Murdoc's ego. 

"Oh, great and mighty Primus, would yew grant me the pleasure o' Ace's company also?" 

Oh and stroke Murdoc's ego it did. His laughable posture became a bit straighter. He pondered his question. Ace wasn't a threat and he knew it. if Murdoc said jump, Ace would say 'how high?' And his little chivalrous act had staked his claim on the human and no one would dare go after a vampire while they are courting, never mind a human. "Sure, go ahead." Ace smiled sweetly at Stuart as they all snuggled into the sofa. Everyone cheered as Allison finally got the movie working. Murdoc turned to Stu and smiled before offering his hand. Ace hadn't noticed this as he was enthralled with the bag of popcorn the lads were handing around.

Stuart bowed his head showing some respect and voicing his thanks before turning to Ace and giving an excited nod. Once all 3 of them were nice and cosy on the sofa, Stuart saw Murdoc move from the corner of his eye and looked back at him to see his hand before him. He wasn't entirely sure what to do with it so played it safe by leaning forward to gently kiss it before holding it in his own.

As a hunter, Stuart should have known Vampire courting habits but he had foolishly skipped school on the lessons covering it. He just saw it as a friendly gesture. The hunter put his free arm around Ace in a matey sort of way to include him too, chuckling when he saw him eyeing the popcorn.

Murdoc smirked happily. This lad really had been brushing up on his vampire etiquette. If ever there came a day in which Stuart decided he wanted to be one of them, Murdoc knew he'd fit right in. The lads loved him and none of them had ever seen Murdoc this happy in their lives. Murdoc gently stroked over the back of the human's hand, the calloused thumb contrasting with Stuart's soft skin. 

Ace was perfectly happy to focus on the movie. He appreciated Stuart's gesture and leaned right into his arm before looking up at him to offer some of his popcorn. He'd never been shown this much attention in his whole life and the sensation of someone holding him, no matter how loosely, was enough to make him melt. Both the vampires were completely at ease and in their hundreds of years of life, they'd never been so happy.


	4. A bit of alone time

Stuart was glad he was able to satisfy both of them with his attention. Of course, Murdoc would always have to come first as he was the Primus but Stuart felt sorry for poor Ace. When the Vampire had told him he wasn't liked very much, that really struck a chord with him. But he would be a good friend to him and always be there if something was bothering him.

Opon seeing the popcorn, Stuart didn't dare let go of Murdoc's hand so had to use his other one, which was around Ace to help himself. This resulted in him inadvertently 'embracing' him for a few seconds while he ate the popcorn, his heart beating quickly against his chest before loosening his hold on him again to how he was before. "Cheers~" he whispered giving him a wink.

'oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit.' Ace's brain went into complete overdrive and he completely forgot about everything that wasn't Stuart. He looked up at his cheeky grin and realised just how enamoured he was with the human. How could such an innocent wink affect him so much? He gulped heavily and turned his attention back to the film. He hadn't been paying much attention so he didn't really understand what was going on. None of that mattered though because Stuart Harold Pot had just winked at him! He sank into the chair. If he died at this very moment, he wouldn't have minded a bit.

Murdoc was getting a bit jealous of the extra attention Ace was getting and tried to aim the spotlight back on himself. He subtly slipped his hand onto the younger's knee "So how do you like the movie, love?"

It was such an innocent gesture, too and it was adorable that it affected Ace so greatly. He smiled down at him when the Vampire sank down into his seat assuming he was either tired or fully relaxing. Stuart could be so oblivious to the obvious it was almost endearing. For a moment, he had forgotten about Murdoc who had just witnessed that and quickly looked up at him, his cheeks starting to burn when the Primus touched his leg.

"Oh, it's-it's great!" he grinned having no idea of what was going on either like Ace. "An excellent choice befitting a King such as yewrself~" He kissed his hand again, making sure to give Murdoc that bit more attention while Ace was off in another world.

Murdoc couldn't take this much longer. The little affectionate touches, the text book courting gestures and to make matters worse, one of the characters was getting freaky with a fruit. (If you've watched it, you know exactly what I mean). Murdoc didn't have the mental capacity for this. He had two choices, stick it out like a man or excuse himself and he'll be damned if he leaves his human alone with another touch starved vampire. He decided the best route was to just cross his legs and continue with the movie. Yup. That should be fine. He's been around for hundreds of years. He could manage this....

Stuart turned his eyes to the screen and had to do a double take at what he was seeing. "The fuck...?!" he muttered under his breath going scarlet in the face. Well, that was something he wouldn't be able to un-see for a while. He was quite prudish having never had a girlfriend before so things like this made him want the sofa to swallow him up. He sat inwardly cringing with embarrassment in his seat wanting to excuse himself from this vulgarity but he couldn't just up and leave, how rude would that be?

Murdoc noticed Stuart shift uncomfortably. "You ok? You can say if you're not, I've been needing a smoke break for a while now." Murdoc looked over at Ace who still seemed to be completely comatose, poor lad. Murdoc really needed to get out of this room. Why was he being so weird about this? Everyone else was normal, except for Frank and Gee who were shifting between exchanging shy glances and sneaking kisses when they thought no one was looking. Murdoc rolled his eyes, those kids are crazy.

Right when Stuart was searching for an excuse to leave, Murdoc provided one for him. What luck! "Ooh, I could do wiv' one, myself." he said looking back at Ace and raising an eyebrow before moving his hand in front of his eyes. Getting to his feet, Stuart offered his hand to Murdoc out of courtesy to help him up before patting his pockets for his usual brand of cigs. "Is er, Ace gonna be ok?" he asked looking worried, hesitant to just leave him there. He caught a glimpse of Frank and Gee sneakily smooching each other and blinked.

"Yew certainly 'ave a 'close knit' pack, don' yew?"

Murdoc took Stuart's hand before rising to his feet, pulling his shirt down slightly. "Oh Ace, he'll be fine. He just gets a bit overloaded sometimes. He'll come around." His attention was once again brought to the couple who were now making out on his damn couch. "Oh yeah, Frank and Gee have been going out for centuries now. Frank met him at a bar back when Gee was a human, they've been like this ever since. but just between you and me," Murdoc whispered, leaning close "Frank asked my permission to propose a month ago. How the hell could you say no to those two?!" 

Murdoc slipped his hand into Stuart's. They walked out into the kitchen while Frank wolf whistled at them both. Before he left the room, Murdoc give him a middle finger while Frank shouted at Murdoc to 'get in there'. What a fucking miscreant. Murdoc lead Stuart through the kitchen into an area he had yet to see. It was beautiful. This area of the cave was open at the top, letting the starlight shine down upon them. It was completely empty except for a table and five seats. Murdoc dug through his pocket and pulled out two cigarettes, offering one to Stuart.

"Really? Blimey, yew'd never /know/ would yew?" he chuckled at his own joke and before he could ask if they were already married, he heard Frank jeer at them. Stuart shot him an indignant look for his vulgarity before he was lead out. He had come to the conclusion that he didn't like Frank, much.

Pretending not to hear his jibe, Stuart followed Murdoc into the kitchen and gasped at what he saw. The stars reflected in his black orbs like shining galaxies as he gazed open mouthed, his hand tightening just a little bit around Murdoc's. "This is the kitchen??" he whispered in awe before coming down to earth again and accepting a cigarette from Murdoc.

The moon above cast an eerie yet beautiful light upon them both. "Wot a view..."

"it's beautiful ain't it?" Murdoc motioned for the younger to sit down. Murdoc was deep in thought. Should he? "I can't stop thinking about it you know..."

The hunter obliged and took a seat on one of the chairs taking a deep drag from his cig before letting it out slowly. He watched Murdoc curiously, wondering what was going through his mind. "I'm no' surprised. This is one 'ell of a kitchen!" he chuckled, misunderstanding what Murdoc actually meant. Before the Primus could say anything, Stuart slipped in first. "Tha' Ace...He really is a sweet'eart." He smiled and looked up at the stars, blowing out a smoke ring. "I've only known 'im a short while, but we really 'click', yew know?" Stuart clearly made it sound like he fancied Ace when he was just talking about their friendship.

Murdoc stayed silent. He didn't quite know how to respond to that. He genuinely thought that Stuart was growing to like him but why would he? Of course he preferred the younger, dorky ball of sunshine. If it was anybody else, Murdoc probably would have been mad but for some reason, he just wasn't. He just felt completely deflated. "Yeah, he's a good lad is our Acey," he said before taking a deep drag of his cig.

Oh, Stuart /did/ like Murdoc. Under the circumstances, the timing was just all up in the air. He took the other's look of 'dejection' to note and tilted his head slightly, placing his hand on his leg. "Are yew alrigh'?"

Had Stuart done something wrong? He continued to puff on his cigarette, concern written all over his pale face. 

Murdoc looked up at the younger, "oh, me? Yeah, I'm fine, love. I was just deep in thought is all." No, Murdoc wasn't alright but Ace deserves Stu. Who was he to come between them? He figured the best course of action was to draw back a bit. Even if Stu did end up staying just for Ace, at least he'd still get to see him. Murdoc inwardly scolded himself, he was being pathetic. He was the primus! No one should be able to make him doubt himself! Murdoc decided to ignore his inner turmoil for the minute and offered Stu a small smile. Hey at least his original 'problem' had disappeared.

Stuart didn't entirely believe Murdoc but accepted his answer. He didn't want to push him if he didn't want to talk about it. "So," he smiled finishing his smoke, "When did yew become a Primus? It sounds like a big job takin' charge of a clan - an' Frank..." he added in a lower tone, his intonation implying his dislike of him.

Murdoc chuckled, pondering his questions. "Well, I became primus about... wow, it must have been about two hundred and eighty-two years ago now. My dad was shot by a gang of hunters when he got careless and went out drunk. As the only son, I was heir to the 'throne' as it were. I've grown up with this clan, minus Gee, Lydia, Dustin and Dom because they came about a bit later. I know everyone in this coven better than I know myself." Murdoc stared up into the sky. There were so many stars out tonight. "Ya know, ya shouldn't be so harsh about Frank. Yeah, he's a knob but he has good intentions. He's really sweet once you get to know him. Proper genuine lad, ya know?" 

Stuart listened to him with keen interest, wanting to know all about him. "God, it sounds like so much pressure. I don' 'ave the balls for such a commitment. He tossed his dog-end out through the hole in the roof and made a 'hmph' sound, crossing his arms when Murdoc stuck up for Frank. "I fink he's a pig...'Ow dare he speak to yew like tha'?" His eyes darkened. "I'd teach 'im some respect..."

Murdoc lightly shook his head "naw, it's mainly just making sure there's enough food in and settling arguments." Murdoc laughed at his mild aggression, "Woah, easy tiger. We all bully each other a bit, we're essentially all just siblings, after all." Murdoc took a long drag, considering if he should tell Stuart. Finally, he gave in and said it anyways. "Frank struggled a lot when he was younger with fitting in with us when he was younger. He was always too quiet and submissive, so my dad essentially beat it out of him and I'll never forgive him for that. He was always taught that he needed more of a presence, he needed to be more masculine or he wouldn't survive. When people meet him, he's often seen as the brash, loud, rude one, but really, he just wants to be liked. Please, will you give him one more chance? For me?" Murdoc looked into Stuart's eyes, lowering himself slightly to show submission. He then grabbed the younger's hand before slowly bringing it up to his face and rubbing the back of his hand.

Stuart's sour expression softened significantly when Murdoc took his hand and held it to his face, gently stroking it. He had a point. Stuart barely knew Frank so it was unfair to pass judgement on him. He scooted his chair just a little bit closer, his affection for Murdoc beginning to grow a little bit more. "O course I will~" he promised, meaning it.

The hunter sat in silence with Murdoc and closed his eyes for a few moments, enjoying their bonding time before he spoke again. "I don' 'ave any siblins. I've go' a cousin' in Germany who's a Werewolf Slayer but we only really meet on special occasions like weddin's an' such."

Murdoc genuinely smiled "thank you, Stu, if he makes you uncomfortable again, I'll make sure he knows about it." Murdoc had to laugh, "do you really? I dated a werewolf once. He was a nice enough bloke until ya know... things got a bit hairy." Murdoc had to laugh at his pathetic joke. He was rather proud of that one.

It was one of the corniest jokes he'd ever heard but Stuart found himself laughing too. "Tha's so bad!" he giggled playfully giving Murdoc's arm a little punch in a jostling, bloke-ey way. "I though' Vampire an' Werewolves were natural enemies? Fuck, 'ow much school did I skip?"

Murdoc stared in awe at the human. His giggle was the cutest sound ever made by anyone ever. After Stu had composed himself, he caught himself and stopped gawking before nodding "I mean technically we are but I wanted to piss off my dad so what better way to do it than by dating his sworn enemy who can't give him a grandson. He was always proper fixated on legacy you see. The only reason I'm here is that he needed an heir and couldn't stand the thought of someone without his blood ending upon his throne. What about you then? Got any riveting family related stories you wish to share?"

He laughed again at Murdoc's rebellion towards his father before looking at him and realising he was in a sense, a form of loyalty. "Blimey, so yew /are/ basically a Prince. Or King, wotever floats yewr boat." Stuart scratched his chin trying to think of an amusing event in history that had happened to him. "Actually, there was this one time when I was on my first hunt ever an' I was goin' after a woman who only killed children because, in life, she couldn't bear. One o' those sad cases."

He started to chuckle and clear his throat. "Obviously, she 'ad to go so I sneaked in through 'er bedroom window an' there are CATS everywhere. It fuckin' /stinks/. I sneak up on 'er an accidentally step on one of 'em's tail. The cat screamed I screamed, SHE screamed an' this fuckin' cat just jumps on 'er 'ead freakin' ou', she loses 'er balance an' falls down the stairs." Stuart was laughing so hard now he was wheezing. "An' the funniest bit? The bitch broke 'er neck an' died! I didn't 'ave to do anyfin'!"

Murdoc's eyes darkened "you... you killed my auntie Doris?"

Stuart abruptly stopped laughing and leaned away from him, his face going pure white. "I-I didn't kill 'er, she fell!"

Murdoc burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself! Oh, you should've seen your face love, priceless!" Murdoc calmed down slightly, still chuckling heartily "Oh I'm so sorry, lovely. I didn't mean ta frighten ya, come 'ere." Murdoc opened his arms offering the younger a hug.

When it was just a joke, Stuart let out the breath he'd been holding and laughed alongside him. "I walked righ' into tha', didn't I?" he grinned rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Now, /this/ was new. Murdoc had never hugged him before and for a moment, he stared at him with a dumbfounded look on his flushed face. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he fell into Murdoc's arms and embraced him, starting to accept that he was falling for the Primus.

Murdoc pulled him in close, laying his head on Stuart's shoulder. "yeah, you really did. Aw, your poor face was terrified, poor babe." In this position, Stu was practically sat in Murdoc's lap, the pure affection they shared at that moment was enough to make Murdoc feel like he was floating. 

He was never shown affection when he was younger, except for the encouragements of the pack, but that was different. As he got older, things didn't change much. All of his relationships were either built upon toxicity or just sex. There were no cuddles, no whispered 'I love you' and no late-night snuggles while watching your favourite movies. As the hug continued, tears began to fall silently onto Stuart's top. He bit his lip, hoping to satan that he wouldn't realise a simple cuddle was enough to make the primus cry.

The hunter held onto him tightly and closed his eyes, giving the poor bastard the only hug he'd probably ever gotten in his life. Stuart respected Murdoc's high rank and would have hugged him anyway but this felt so meaningful. Stuart was fortunate to have grown up with both his parents in a nice house until his father was killed so he knew nothing of Murdoc's tragic backstory but he could feel how much this meant to him.  
Plus, you didn't refuse the Primus. If he asked something of you, you obeyed. That was Stuart's take on it, anyway. "It's alrigh'..." he said gently feeling slight dampness on his clothes from Murdoc's tears. So what is he was upset? The poor sod had gone his whole life without genuine love and Stuart was giving it to him.

"I'm 'ere~" he whispered, rubbing his back as he kept him close.

Well fuck that wasn't helping with the whole 'I'm a big strong vampire rawr' thing, was it? He just kept on crying, Years on repressed tears, finally released and it felt... good? "I'm so sorry Stu. I don't deserve you. You're just so kind and beautiful and fuck..."

"Don' yew dare..." He said in a soft but at the same time stern voice. Murdoc had nothing to apologise for. The love he was denied all these years, it wasn't his fault. "Look at me." Stuart loosened his hold on Murdoc and gently lifted the Vampire's head to look him in the eyes. Without another word, Stuart slowly leaned forwards and finally closed the gap between them, just like when Murdoc had first kissed him. The hunter held it for a short time before carefully breaking away, holding the side of Murdoc's face affectionately.

"Yew are Murdoc Nicalls. Leader of London's Lost Boys." He looked right into his eyes with the greatest sincerity, his voice remaining calm and gentle as he used his free hand to smooth out Murdoc's shirt and keep him looking smart. "Yew could 'ave yewr choice of /anyone/ on this planet." He started to smile at him, now. "Yet yew choose a man who can' even tie shoelaces? A man who came to kill yew? A...A man who...Who will be hung if he's caught in league with Vampires?"

Murdoc was still crying his silent tears but this time for a whole new reason. "You're so perfect Stu. I think..." he paused, considering his words very carefully, "I think I'm falling in love." He made use of their closeness and brought him closer before their lips caught once again. This time, the kiss was deeper, yet still heavy with such raw emotion. His eyes were red raw and ached like hell but at this point, he didn't care at all. Eventually, after what simultaneously felt like seconds and millennia, Murdoc pulled back, resting his forehead against the human. Both of them were left completely breathless. "You're so beautiful."

Him? Beautiful? He had been called many things over the years but not once had anyone called him beautiful. The word sounded so alien to him. Before he could say anything, Stuart found his lips pressed firmly against Murdoc's once more, making his eyes flutter closed from the passion behind it. It was all surreal. Here he was, in the lap of the Vampire he was /supposed/ to be killing, kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

When it ended, he smiled as his forehead met the older man's. "Yew really do 'ave weird tastes, yew know~"

"My tastes are weird? I think kissing me is a lot weirder than kissing you. I'm just sayin." Murdoc gently stroked his hands down the other's sides. "Just look at ya! Your fabulous blue hair, those eyes that hold so many mysteries, that smile that could melt the sun itself,. You're so light, I can barely feel you sittin on me!" Murdoc laughed before continuing his exploration of Stuart's perfect form. "You're so smart with the way you adapt, so kind with the way you handle the pack. You're perfect Stu, and I wish you could see it..." He looked deep into the other's eyes before giving him a sweet kiss.

Ace stood at the door out of the kitchen. He had only come to tell them the film was over and to ask what they wanted for dinner. He had been stood in shocked silence for a while now, after witnessing his first crush sat on the lap of his primus, kissing him like it was the only thing he knew how to do. Ace was completely out of view and he knew neither of them had noticed him. Good. Tears streamed down his face as he ran to his room before flopping onto his bed and practically screaming with the ferocity of his crying. "You're such a fucking idiot, Copular, how could a guy like Stu fall for a guy like you?"

Stuart went silent as hey enjoyed another kiss from the King of the clan, unaware that Ace had innocently walked in on them and was /watching/ Murdoc take Stuart for himself. If Stuart knew he was the result of such heartbreak, he would have been shocked as Ace didn't 'make any moves' but also crushed that he had hurt his friend.

Stuart pulled away with a smirk as he leaned in close to Murdoc's ear as he pressed a finger to his lips. "We'd better stop, someone migh' walk in~" He dismounted from Murdoc's lap and stood casually with his hands in his pockets as if nothing had happened. "Besides, I wanna see if Ace fancies a game o' cards." He touched Murdoc's shoulder gently with a smile before heading to Ace's room, slowing right down when he thought he heard crying coming from within.

Murdoc looked like he was on cloud nine. He'd just kissed, and been kissed by, the man of his dreams. He walked as if he'd just won a million pounds and he felt like it too. He walked into the dining room to be greeted by the whole pack going about their business. They all acknowledged their primus as he entered. Gee practically skipped over to him, smiling knowingly. "Ya, doing okay there Mudz?" he raised a knowing eyebrow.  
"Yeah! Why do you ask?"  
"Oh nothin', you just look awfully flushed is all. Oh, and you've got a tick of lip balm on your teeth." Gee couldn't help but giggle.  
"Oh sod off, alright?" Murdoc laughed along with him, his face going so red, you'd think he's dipped his head in a literal blood bath.


	5. Drinking with the lads

What if he was hurt? Stuart's eyes widened as he opened the door and found him crying on his bed. "Ace!!" he gasped hurrying over to see if he was ok. "Wot's 'appened? Wot's wrong?!"

Ace looked up at the tall human before him. "oh it's nothin, just a sad movie I guess." Ace knew his lie was incredibly obvious but he could never let Stuart know the real reason. He shifted slightly and eventually just swaddled himself in covers so his face was visible but darkened by the shadow of the sheets.

Stuart wasn't convinced by Ace's lie and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Ace, come on. I don' like to see yew like this. Yew know yew can tell me anyfin'." he said sadly placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Is there anyfin' I can do to cheer yew up?" It killed him to see his pal so upset and he wanted to be there for him.

Ace wiped his face with the back of his hand. "I'm really sorry about all this, do you want to come in?" He gestured to his little blanket fort. He was still really upset but he felt better having a close friend to be there for him. He'd never completely get over Stu, but he knew he could always depend on him as a friend. His face was red and puffy, his long nose red at the tip from sniffling.

Stuart smiled slightly and crouched down to crawl inside, instantly moving to pull Ace into a hug. He looked like he needed one, poor bugger. "If /anyfin's/ botherin' yew, yew come an' find me, yeah? We'll get it sorted." he promised, stroking his back and hoping that he was helping him to calm down.

"An' don' yew be sorry abou' anyfin', ok? There's no shame in cryin'." He still wasn't sure what was wrong, but he would stay with him until Ace felt better.

Ace hugged his straight back. Stuart's arms were under his armpits while his own rested on Stu's shoulders. "Thank you so much Stu but I think it's getting better now. I promise I'll tell you if there's anything else." He give Stu a quick peck on the cheek. It was in no way romantic, it was simply the vampire showing his appreciation. "Oh yeah, they guys were s'pposed to be making dinner. Wanna go and check that out?" 

The hunter blushed bright pink at the kiss, not expecting it but gave him one back on his cheek. Stuart felt a strong bond with Ace and while he didn't love him the way that he did the Primus, he loved him as a good friend. He gave him one final squeeze and chuckled when he spoke of dinner.

"Sounds good to me, I'm starvin'." He crawled out from the blanket fort and offered his hand to help his friend to his feet. 

Ace gently took his hand before kissing it "why thank you, good sir." With Stu's help, he rose to his feet before bowing dramatically low. Still holding his hand, Ace walked him into the dining room. It was, quite frankly, a scene of pure chaos. Murdoc, Frank and Gee were excitedly giggling over something, Dustin and the girls were dancing to The Anthem by Good Charlotte incredibly badly and the rest were happily munching away at the selection of chinese food set out on the table.

Stuart's smile only widened when Ace took his hand and giggled when he kissed it. Ace made him feel like royalty the way he comically bowed to him, an act he had never had performed for him before and after returning it with one of his own, he followed his buddy down the hall, his hand firmly around Ace's to give him a feeling of security that he would always be there for him.

Stuart blinked at the scene before them and looked at Ace. "Is this...Normal behaviour for the clan?" he asked looking a bit overwhelmed as he lead Ace to the table so that they could eat together. He didn't want to lose him in all this rabble.

Ace scoffed "absolutely, the only difference is that Dustin's usually always singing never-ending story. And Murdoc's giggling a lot more than usual. He's probably had a drink with the lads." Ace was perfectly in his element as he watched his brothers and sisters laugh and mess about together. As a bonus, he also happened to have the prettiest human in the entirety of London town holding his hand, making him feel safe.

To the hunter, Ace was like the brother he never had and was starting to become protective of him. He stroked his hand with his thumb while they ate and snorted when Ace said that Murdoc may have been drinking. "It shames me to say it, but I don' 'old my drink well. A couple o' pints an' I'm off my tits." Well, when In Rome...Stuart couldn't remember the last time he'd had a drink. Last Christmas? One wouldn't hurt. He leaned over the table and grasped 2 bottles of beer, giving one to Ace. "Cheers!" he beamed chinking bottles with him.

"hehe, cheers!" Ace opened his bottle with his teeth before taking a sip. It wasn't unpleasant but he wouldn't exactly choose it over juice or something. He looked into Stu's eyes, smiling contentedly when Murdoc came over to say hello, with Frank and Gerard trailing behind. "Oh hey Mudz! D'y wanna beer?"

Murdoc smiled before accepting, "oh sure Ace, thanks." He gave Stuart a sweet smile before taking the bottle. He looked at Frank very pointedly. "Hey Stuart, I'm sorry if I offended you back there. You seem chill and I didn't mean to cause any tension or anything, please forgive me. If not I understand." He took the human's hand before gently bringing it to his lips. The ultimate show of respect and submission.

While enjoying his pint, Stuart watched as Murdoc came over with Frank, much to his surprise. How embarrassing! Murdoc must have told him that he wasn't impressed by his earlier actions. Going bright red in the face, the hunter watched as Frank apologised and kissed his hand, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him. "Oh! No, no, don' worry! Everyfin's fine!"

He smiled awkwardly giving Murdoc a 'why the Hell did you tell him?' look.

Murdoc chuckled at the younger's awkwardness. He leaned in close to whisper to the younger beside him, "don't look so worried love, I just asked Frank to chill out a bit. He got really worried that he'd offended ya is all." He stood up straight once again before taking a drink from his bottle. Meanwhile, Frank grabbed them all a plate each, filling his own with all different bits from the table. "Go crazy guys, all this was, like, mega cheap from that Chinese in Soho."

"He's gonna fink I'm an uptigh' FANNY, now!" he hissed back under his breath before smiling back at Franks as he dished the plates out. All while this was happening, he was still holding Ace's hand, putting down his bottle of beer to start filling his plate. As a hunter, he wanted to keep up his 'tough guy' look and he felt that Murdoc had stripped him of it a bit.

Murdoc couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry baby," Murdoc gave him a quick cuddle. "If it makes you feel any better, Frank needs a stepladder to get into his coffin every morning." He graciously took the plate before grabbing whatever took his fancy. Frank whipped around to look at the primus "Oi! I heard that you old sod!" There was no disrespect in his words and Murdoc knew it. "Oh can it shorty, you can't even reach the TV remote." Frank sulkily sat down on the nearest chair "I'm not that short..."

Stuart laughed as Murdoc started roasting Frank, leaning into the cuddle. "Yew know, I used to know a bloke about yewr height," he said to him across the table. "Whenever we played a board game, he didn't roll the dice, he /pushed/ 'em!" He erupted into a fit of laughter at his own joke before swigging his beer, his cheeks becoming rosy.

Everyone looked at Frank, practically fitting with the ferocity of their laughter. Frank found it hilarious "I like you kid, I think we'll get on fine." Gee punched him lovingly in the arm.  
"Excuse me, could you not flirt with the pretty new boy, please?" The pure love that radiated between the two was adorable.  
"Aww baby, no pretty new boy could ever keep me away from you." Frank leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his boyfriend's nose. Murdoc wrinkled his nose in clearly fake disgust.  
"You two are gross! Get a room!"

Stuart was fitting in very well with the clan but in the back of his mind, he kept thinking about the mayor in London. He hadn't been to report to him of Murdoc's killing, which he obviously wasn't going to do now. True, the killings had stopped but he needed the money for his mother. "D'yew 'appen to 'ave any enemies?" he asked the Primus.

Murdoc considered the question, "well Kevin down the road's a bit of a knob but other than that, no not really. Why do you ask?"

Stuart knew Murdoc was having a good time and he didn't want to rain on his parade. He would wait for a better time. "Jus' wonderin'," he answered shaking his head with a smile as he finished his beer.

The vampire found it slightly strange but he didn't question it. Everyone was enjoying their night and as they all continued drinking, all tension drained from the room. Every so often, Murdoc would try to steal a kiss from the younger, with varying levels of success, Ace ended up dancing with Dustin to the frozen soundtrack while Frank and Gee went to bed early for a bit of alone time. If there was one thing in this world that Murdoc was good at, it was handling his drinks but tonight, for some reason, he was really feeling the effects.

In the midst of it all, young Stuart was completely plastered and was having trouble standing under his own weight. He had draped himself along the sofa and had this stupid grin on his face looking like he was either going to pass out or die. Whichever came first.  
He was easier to kiss when he was drunk as he wasn't so squirmy and was more likely to accept them in the view of the clan.

Murdoc snorted, "ya ok, babe? You can, like, barely stand." Murdoc found the situation mildly hilarious but he was still concerned for the younger.

"M'fine..." he slurred stretching his body and falling off of the sofa with a thud. He let out a flat sounding 'ow' before struggling to get to his feet. "See? No worries~" He started giggling and stumbled over his own feet before crashing to the ground, out cold. 

Murdoc, in his drunk panicked state, opted to run around wondering what to do before he finally composed himself. He shouted for Ace who immediately waddled over. "Oh gees Mu'doc! You killed him!"   
"Of course I didn't kill him! He passed out! Oh shit, what if he's dead!" Murdoc was now crying while Ace tried to pick him up. Luckily at this point, Lydia had managed to use her initiative and go get Gee. Frank passed out from drinking too much practically every time they'd ever had a night out so he'd know what to do. She ran to the boys' room and knocked on the door. "Gee, Stu's passed out. What do we do?" After a minute of rapid shifting behind the door, a very red-faced Frank and Gee burst out of the room to go check on their friend.

The dining room was in chaos while Stuart lay on the floor completely unaware. Gee couldn't cope with all the shouting "EVERYONE SHUT. UP" immediately all the drunken vampires went silent. Gee checked on Stu to make sure he wasn't dead or anything. "Guys, he's fine. Frank, please will you help me take him to his room?" Frank nodded, putting his arms below his legs as he helped his boyfriend lift the dead weight. They shuffled to Ace's room, followed by a blubbering primus and a wasted Ace. They placed Stu on his side on Ace's bed before grabbing a bucket in case he threw up. It was quite lucky he was sharing a room with Ace so he could check on him.

"Alright, you've all clearly had enough to drink and it's already sunrise. Everyone, do one to bed, will ya?" Gee was done with their drunken bullshit. Everyone reluctantly went to bed while the girls continued singing whatever. Ace barely slept, always keeping an eye out for his friend.

The hunter didn't even stir as Gee and Frank carried him to Ace's room and laid him on his bed. His eyes remained closed and his mouth slightly open in a 'drunken coma'. Thankfully, he slept all through the day without waking once which hopefully made it a bit easier for Ace.

Early evening, he started to stir and show signs of life with a weary groan. He slowly opened his eyes, remembering nothing of the night before as he slowly sat up, taking a moment to realise where he was.

Ace looked up at him, "hey buddy ya feeling ok? I got these for ya" he passed him a couple of pills and a water bottle for the headache that was sure to arise soon enough.

Right on cue, Stuart clutched his head and hissed through his teeth, shakily holding out his hand for Ace's offerings. "My fuckin' 'eaeeaaaddd..." he whined after gulping the pills down and giving him a nod of thanks.  
"Las' time I'm ever doin' tha'. I feel like shit."

Ace chuckled. He tried to be as quiet as possible and not move too quickly so as not to hurt Stuart more. "Hey buddy, can I let Murdoc in, he's been waiting to see you? If not, I know he'll understand. He's not much better off this morning."

Really? Murdoc was waiting for him? "Yeah, yeah, tha's fine..." he replied groggily rubbing his eyes as he moved to sit on the side of his bed. "He go' slammed too?" Stuart started to laugh but soon stopped as it made his head hurt.

Ace laughed "oh yeah it was brilliant. He spent the entire night tryna kiss ya and then you passed out and he just panicked for a straight two minutes cause everyone thought you were dead. Luckily Gee and Frank were there to sort everyone out." Ace shuffled towards the door to let Murdoc in.

"Dead?! Fuck, I was tha' bad?" he mumbled to himself, feeling guilty for making Murdoc worry. He watched Ace head to the door and braced himself. This could go 1 of 2 ways. Murdoc could scold him for scaring everyone or he would be over-affectionate.

Murdoc watched excitedly as the door opened. He had been sat outside for just over half an hour ago, his head was better now thanks to the pills Ace gave him. He walked in to see Stu looking terrible. "Hi baby, are you ok?"  
Ace smiled at the two "I'm gonna go get some breakfast, I'll leave you two on your own." Before Murdoc could reply, he was out the door. He looked down at his human "may I join you? I feel like shit and you look like you could do with a cuddle yourself."

"I feel like Death..." he grunted patting the space beside him and leaning into Murdoc's shoulder when he sat down. He nuzzled his face against his arm, wanting affection as he cuddled up to him, closing his eyes. "I...I didn't frighten yew, did I?"

Murdoc cuddled right up to the younger before leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Honestly, baby, I don't remember past playing monopoly. Gee said I was absolutely terrified which I don't doubt, to be honest." Murdoc laid down on the bed, which was really damn comfortable apparently, and played with the human's bright blue mop of hair. "but don't worry about me lovely, I'm more concerned about you." He patted the space beside him "c'mere, it's so warm"

Stuart laid down with him and snuggled into his chest, waiting for his headache to leave him. He was quiet for a little while, letting Murdoc play with his spiky blue locks. It didn't take long for him to feel better with Murdoc there and he started to chuckle a bit. "Y'know, back at huntin' school, they used to call me 2D. I never went anywhere wivou' my 2 dual wield pistols an' the name stuck. Even my masters called me it."

The vampire draped his arm over his human's stomach, gently drawing them as close as possible. He gasped dramatically "2D you say? It's bold, dramatic, dare I say sexy... Stu, I think we just found your vampire name." He couldn't help but giggle. Trying to keep quiet, he hid his face in his lover's back. He had never felt so at peace with the world in all of his years.

2D laughed at how excited Murdoc was at his nickname and grinned when he felt Murdoc's face press into his back. Although he could be intimidating, the Primus was absolutely adorable at times and it just made 2D want to roughhouse with him on the floor which he would have done if he wasn't feeling hungover.

Murdoc was completely squished against the other, their legs intertwined and 2D's back pressed against the older's chest. "Which deity did I manage to please? Which god did I impress to end up right here with you? There is not an ounce of my body that deserves even an ounce of yours and yet, here we are." He continued to twirl his beautifully unusual hair lightly between his fingers, listening closely to his slow and steady breathing.

"Oh, stop talkin' like tha'!" he giggled going bright red. "I must've done somefin' righ' by no' killin' yew for a start. Yew talk abou' me like I'm some divine angel." He chuckled again and gave him a sidewards look as he smiled. "I'm jus' a cold-blooded killer who's gonna be in a heap o' trouble if I don' make a kill."

Murdoc looked down into his beautifully dark orbs. "but you don't have to be. You could start a new life here. Money is never a problem because we don't exactly have much use for it so you could stay with us and still be able to provide for your family. Hell, you could move your family in here if you wanted. If you really feel like you have to make a kill, then I'll do it. You promised that I'd be dead, so dead I shall be. We'll just move our hunting ground north and stay clear of London. If you want, I could even get you a human's head as proof. You're the first living human to have seen my face so recognition won't be a problem."

Stuart shook his head. "I can'. By righ's, I shouldn't even /be/ 'ere. For one fing, I wouldn't bring my Mother 'ere. She's terrified o' Vampires an' if she knew I was bunkin' up wiv' an entire /clan/..." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose knowing he had gotten himself in too deep of a mess to get out. "I wouldn't move away from 'er, either. I'd be too scared to. An' as for a kill, yew said a human head. Tha's goin' against our pledge PLUS they'd know it was a human because it wouldn't 'ave fangs." 

Stuart groaned and curled up onto a ball on his side. "WHY didn't I fink this through, properly?"

Murdoc sighed. He had no idea what to do but he knew that he couldn't just let Stu leave. "Ok hear me out. You could fake your death? People go missing in London all the time and hunters are literally at the top of a vampire's to kill list. You could still visit your mother and such but you'd have to live here. That way, no one can be angry at a dead person, you and your mum can have the support of an entire coven and you can still see everyone here"

"Ow would I go abou' fakin' my death?" he asked quirking an eyebrow. "Someone in London would 'ave to see me 'die' an' report it." The hunter curled up tighter. "I don't know wot's worse. My Mum reactin' to the news tha' 'er only son is dead or that it's a hoax because he's livin' WIV' the enemy. If she disowned me, I...I don' know wot I'd do..."

"Hey, don't worry, lovely. We'll figure something out I promise." Murdoc continued to stroke D's hair, trying to think of something they could do. "What if you 'captured' one of us? You take a vampire down to the mayor, they get locked up, you get your dosh, we break 'em out and we're sorted"

Stuart thought about this, lightly chewing his lower lip. True, it would convince them that the Vampire had been captured and Stuart would get his money but it was a big risk.  
"The only fing there is if yew break 'em ou', they'll know I 'aven't killed the righ' Vampire."

"Then they won't know who took them. It's not like we can break out a vampire with one person anyway, no matter how powerful they are. We'll send in the rest of the pack, they'll never see it coming."

2D grunted under his breath in exasperation. "Yew do tha' an' people will DIE. They won' sit back idly an' let a swarm o' Vampire's enter the jail to free another." He dragged his hands down his face becoming irritable. "I'll fink o' somethin'..."

"Then I'll go. If I die, it'll be worth it because I know you'll be better off. I've had plenty enough years on this damned planet anyways"

"NO!" he yelled suddenly sitting up and frowning down at him. "I am NO' puttin' yew in danger!" He got up from the bed and started to pace up and down like a caged animal. "It's my problem, /I'll/ solve it."

Murdoc looked over at him, concerned for his human. "But how Stu? You can't solve this on your own. The entirety of London is pitted against us. There is no way everyone can win unless the clan moves north or the primus is put to death and we've already ruled out moving north"

With a wail of frustration, 2D punched the stone wall hard, ignoring his bleeding knuckles. There was no safe way out of this and he knew it. They would have to stage a setup. "God fuckin' damn it..." He turned to Murdoc and sank to his knees looking defeated. "Why didn't yew jus' kill me when yew 'ad the chance?"

Murdoc couldn't help but since as he watched him hurt himself, shouting at him to stop. He placed his hands on both sides of the younger's face, gently stroking his cheeks with his calloused thumbs. "Why didn't I kill you? Stuart, that night when I looked into your eyes, they were filled with such hatred and anger but beneath that was something else wasn't there? You killed because we were a threat and we killed because you were a threat. That night, when I got to look into your eyes, I saw so much more than just hatred. I saw a boy who couldn't understand why the world had treated him so unfairly; who just wanted a friend. I didn't kill you, because I saw myself in you."

The hunter looked like he was on the verge of tears as he looked into his eyes. Plus his hand really fucking hurt, now. He was quiet as he listened to Murdoc, knowing that they /had/ to take action, no matter how much he hated it. "People are gonna get 'urt...No matter 'ow we do this, it's gonna be dangerous."

"I know but I will do anything and everything in my power to protect my coven and you..." he looked the hunter deep in the eyes, no longer stroking his face "are at the centre of it." He stroked the younger's hair one last time before leaving him on his knees to go to the bathroom. He very quickly returned with a small first aid kit and put his hand out so Stu could hold it.

If doing this would give them peace, Stuart didn't have a choice. Stuart looked at him for a moment longer before lowering his head in a begrudging agreement. When Murdoc returned, he took the first aid kid and hissed in pain as he disinfected the cuts to his hand before dressing it, handing it back to Murdoc with a small 'Fanks'.

"Don't worry about it. Now c'mon, I think we best talk to the lads, what do you think?"

Stuart nodded grimly as he got to his feet and put his uninjured hand in his pocket as he followed Murdoc. Why was life so complicated?


	6. A trip to the farm

The dining room was not a pretty sight. Twelve severely hungover vampires were draped over various items of furniture, trying to make the world stay still for just a moment. Ace, Gee and Frank had taken it upon themselves to play doctor for all the poor sods. They were rushed off their feet, grabbing water, pills or other necessities. These weren't normal hangovers. "What the hell happened to everyone?"   
Frank trotted over to them "they're all hungry Murdoc, we all need to feed."  
Murdoc was completely confused "well I'll take Stu down to the shops and we can pick some stuff up then"  
Frank shook his head "no Murdoc," his face was grim and he didn't want to be the one to break the news. "We need to feed"

Stuart stood there feeling the colour drain out of his face from hearing Frank's words. He looked down at himself and bit his lip. At a push, he could feed 2 Vampires but it would cost him his life. "..." He looked at Murdoc, remembering their pact. If they killed anyone in London, he would be free to go back to his mother.  
"If...If yew all line-up an' only take /one/ gulp, yew can 'ave me?" he suggested already rolling up his sleeve.

Murdoc faced the younger, holding his arm tight. "Stu, we're not going to drink your blood, even if everyone had just a sip, you'd be dead." He knew his pack would have to hunt and he knew that they couldn't do it in London. "Do you have any enemies you want rid of? I can make it as painful or as painless as you want"

The hunter sighed and scratched his head. Due to his profession, he didn't have many enemies at all. People were always grateful to him. "Ok, 'ow abou' this," he began, pinching the bridge of his nose. "There mus' be a farm somewhere wiv' livestock. Jus' this one time, could yew 'ave animal blood?"

Most of the vampires cringed. Human blood was so much richer and it sure as hell tasted a lot nicer but at this point, they would have been grateful for anything. It was settled, they'd take a visit to the farm.

"We can't take everyone, it's too risky, Frank, Gee, you're coming with me. The rest of you need to stay here and get some rest before you pass out. Ace, Stu, look out for each other, I don't know how long we'll be gone for but make sure everyone drinks plenty." He walked over to Stu, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "I'm serious, take care of yourself. If anyone comes by, just get Ace to deal with it. He knows what to do"

"B-But there's nuffin' TO drink!" he spluttered as Murdoc kissed his forehead to which he took his hand in his own and kissed it. "For God's sake, please be careful..."  
It was a bit concerning when Murdoc said about someone coming by as if they were expecting a visit or something.

The primus couldn't help but chuckle "we still have water genius. Don't worry about me, I'll be careful, I promise." With a final goodbye, the three vampires left the cave, knowing exactly where they were headed. The oldest gave a quick nod to the younger two, seamlessly transforming into his bat form.

Stuart watched Murdoc transform first before the other 2 followed suit and the 3 of them flapped off into the night.  
He turned to Ace, looking worried. "Wot was he talkin' abou'? Do people come up 'ere r somefin'?"

Ace shook his head "you won't need to worry about that. It's just that we're not exactly popular 'round here and no place is entirely safe. We just have to take certain precautions is all. You'll be safe, don't worry" it was the best lie he'd ever told.

Stuart didn't think for one minute that Ace would lie to him and accepted his answer with a nod as he got up to go to the kitchen to get the hungover Vampires some water.

Meanwhile, the 3 bats flew in an arrow formation with Murdoc in the centre. "That's a farm down there, isn't it?" asked Frank nodding down to a large plot of land with a building.

Murdoc squinted his eyes, his vision as a bat was already very impaired. "I don't know I can't quite see. Let's check it out." He swooped down. He could see it much more clearly now. It was an extremely large pig farm. It looked neither humane nor sanitary but you take what you can when it's for the sake of your family. "What do ya say, guys? Shall we go and get our hands dirty?"

You could smell the pigs from a mile away and although it wasn't the blood they desired, it would have to do to sustain them. "Let's do it!" Frank agreed before silently gliding down to a nearby tree where he could observe the situation from a distance. This would be tricky. How could they kill a few pigs without waking the farmer?

Murdoc thought about how to get around this problem. The best course of action was surely to separate one, keep it from squealing and kill it silently. They could do this. "Alright Gee, you're on lookout, if you see anything, tell us. Frank. you need to fly around the group. See if any weaker ones could be picked off easily. Once you grab 'em, we have very little time before they wake up the entire block and blow our cover so we have to kill 'em quickly. Don't waste too much blood though, try and aim for a lung so it can't squeal. Then, we can take it home and enjoy, sound good?"

"A lung..." Frank answered flatly, folding his wings around himself. "Yeah, there usually tends to be a rib cage in the way? To protect the lungs?" He rolled his eyes and transformed so that he was sitting on the branch with his legs swinging. He didn't have time for sarcasm, they were all starving back at the den. "Ok, fine. I'll be back." He morphed into a bat again and took to the skies to get a better view of the sty. 

He returned and landed back on the branch. "There's a fat one sleeping near the door. I reckon we can take it."

Murdoc sighed "Frank you know I love you like a brother but it doesn't take a fucking genius to stab a pig in the lung." He slowly approached the pig Frank was referring to, "you see this bit here, just between the stomach and the front leg? You're gonna wanna stab it right in that region there." he pointed to an exact spot on the hog, making Frank's job clear. "You get that one, I'll get this one over here."

"I know, I know, I'm just stating a fact is all." he shrugged holding his hands up. Thanks to his Vampiric speed, the pig was dead before it could even open its eyes. He looked back at Gee and gave a thumbs-up signal.

"See? There you go lad, you did great. Now come over here and sort this one" He pointed out a large pig just outside of the group. It clearly wasn't young and its sleep was somewhat uneasy. He looked over to Gee to see if they were still ok, to which he responded with a thumbs up. They were safe... for now.

"C'mon, boss, you said YOU were gonna do it!" he whispered trying to keep as much blood inside his own pig as possible. "If I let go, it's gonna be a red river and the other pigs might wake up!"

He couldn't deny it but he sighed non the less. Despite being the head vampire, Murdoc hated killing animals. He was fine with human's but no pig had ever killed the majority of his family. He reluctantly took the knife from Frank, feigning disinterest. Raising it high, he closed his eyes before bringing it down in the perfect spot. It silently writhed in pain as the last of its oxygen circulated throughout its body. A tear welled up in Murdoc's eye as he watched the poor animal suffer. He wished he could have slit its throat but then it would have lost so much blood that its death would have been in vain. He quickly wiped his eyes and turned to Frank, "there. Ya happy now? C'mon, let's go home before we have nothing to drink.

Frank nodded and picked up his pig, hauling it around his shoulders like a fox fur scarf that was too short. As the pigs were large, heavy animals, they couldn't just turn into bats and fly off with them, which would have been so convenient. They weren't miles away from the den, so that was one good thing. Frank looked over at his love in the trees and nodded his head back in the direction of the den to tell him silently that they were heading back.

Murdoc followed suit, the pig around his neck while Gee trotted along behind. Due to the extremely late hour, no one was outside so they were able to walk home in peace. After what seemed like hours, they finally entered the cave. Murdoc shouted a greeting but it was met with complete silence. Where is everyone?

There were signs of a struggle inside the den with furniture destroyed, claw marks in the wall and blood spatters here and there. Worse of all was the massacred bodies of some of the clan. The weakest didn't stand a chance against the intruders while the rest it seemed had fled.

Frank stood there speechless as he took in the carnage, his ears suddenly pricking up at a noise coming from the kitchen. The door was barricaded with chairs and whatnot so they had to do some digging before they could finally gain entrance. Inside was 4 remaining Vampires, all very shaken and distressed. "Th-They took 'im!!" one of them cried falling at Murdoc's feet. "They took STUART!" Ace was nowhere to be seen...

Murdoc ran inside. "What the fuck do you mean they took him?! Who?! Why did no one come and get me?!" He was in floods of tears right now but he knew he had to stay strong for his pack if for no one else. "Where's Ace?" No one was answering quickly enough but even if they did, his brain was to overloaded to register it. Surely this was just some sick prank, right? Ace was in his bedroom with Stu playing cards while everyone else raided the kitchen. Surely everyone was safe. Surely Ace was safe...

"The Police!!" He wailed clutching his head. "Stuart and Ace were taking it in turns to watch over us while the other kept a lookout. Stuart said he could see about 4 men coming this way and told Ace to get as many of us as he could into the kitchen..." The Vampire paused to cough and wipe his eyes before continuing. "Ace took as many as he could to safety in here and as he grabbed me, I heard Stuart telling someone to fuck off and leave. H-He was trying to protect the weakest of us and tried to fight them off...They overpowered him and took him away! Ace told us all not to move from the kitchen because he was going to go after them." The Vampire looked up at Murdoc and bit his lip.

"That was over an HOUR ago...!!"

Murdoc sunk to the ground before him. He prepared himself for the answer to the question he never wanted to ask. "Who's left?" Gee had sat down beside him, hugging both Murdoc and Frank as he anticipated the answer. Murdoc didn't even know why he asked. He loved every member of his coven equally, but at least it would give him some certainty.

"Me, Lydia and the ones you see in this room," he replied grimly gesturing to the other 4 Vampires who hurried to their Primus, weeping and holding each other. "Where did they take Stuart?" asked Frank as he embraced Gee and anyone else he could reach.

"To the cells...They're going to HANG him tomorrow evening!!"

Murdoc was determined. They may have ripped apart his pack, but he had two of his own that were in danger. "We need to go. We need to go now!" Murdoc went to get up before Gee held him close, keeping him down. He had to calm down the distressed primus or this wouldn't end well for anyone. "Murdoc you know better than anyone in this pack that we can't just walk in there and get them. We have to have a plan." Tears were still streaming down his face as he looked around. Lydia, Allison, Dom, Gee, Frank, Michael, Hayley and Alex were all looking upon him. They all needed their primus right now and he'd be damned if he didn't need them. He took a shaky breath before rising to his feet. "Alright suckers, here's what we're gonna do..."

Meanwhile, in the dark dank cells of London, Stuart was shackled to the wall on his knees with his head down. He wept for those he couldn't save back in the den, he wept for his poor mother who knew nothing about this and finally, he wept for Murdoc whom he would never see again.

The conditions in the cell were filthy with rats crawling in and out of the bars, stealing the food he had been given. Not that he would have eaten it anyway, it was vile. He looked out of the small shabby window of his cell and sighed, his chains jangling as he tried to break free but to no avail. "Ace..." he whispered hanging his head again. "Please be safe..."

The vampires had finally come up with a plan. They'd all stayed together for hours plotting to save their brothers. Gee had taken his usual motherly role extremely seriously, always watching over the traumatised vampires and getting them whatever they may need. After their bloodlust had been quenched, they found rational thought much easier. The plan was for the vampires to divide themselves amongst the three entrances to the prison, before taking down the guards at each entrance. Frank would then be tasked with creating a distraction (something he was rather good at) while Gee unlocked the cells. It was risky, but it was worth it...

Of course, this would break Murdoc's promise to Stuart but he would overlook it as it was a rescue mission on his life. Even though he was a human, Stuart was one of The Lost Boys and the clan was loyal and looked after it's own.

"Ok Boss, we're ready for action," Frank said confidently, firmly holding Gee's hand.

Murdoc nodded. They walked towards the door knowing full well that this may be the last time they see each other alive. With one final hug and a last goodbye, they all flew over the sleeping town.


	7. Murdoc’s story

The flight was quiet. The vampires were all still shaken and quite frankly terrified. They were trapped in their own minds but Murdoc forced himself to be strong for the others. He thought back. Back to before he'd found Stu; back before he was primus; back before life was complicated.

It was hard being a young vampire in the 18th century. People had only just gotten over witches and were still terrified of the supernatural. He spent most days wandering the streets of London, covered from head to toe and sticking to the shadows where he could. He was twenty-three and yet his dad still expected him to stay locked up in his room until the sun had set. The coven was much smaller back then. It consisted of his father, his older brother (the heir to his father's throne), Murdoc and two others whose names were David and Max. All of them were vampires from birth due to his father completely despising humans. His mother had died when he was born and he never got to see her face. He always blamed himself for her death even though, in reality, he had no control over it.

Two weeks before Murdoc's thirtieth birthday, the group got the news that his brother, Hannibal, had been killed by a hunter. Their father never got over the loss of his oldest, and favourite, son and eventually turned to drink. Murdoc learned to thrive on his own and spent his nights searching for food, while his father gradually became more and more distant.

The streets of London became more and more unsafe for their kind as the years went on and each of them could sense it. With four vampires locked in a cave for most of their lives, it was inevitable that they became restless. three formed a sort of unspoken pact that they would wait until the primus had passed out and two of them would take turns to go out for the night while the other stayed on the lookout. 

After a while, another vampire had joined their coven. Her name was Star, but Murdoc would always remember her as his first crush. Star began to spend more and more time with the coven before it was announced that she and David had been a relationship for some time and were expecting. They eventually decided that they didn't want their child, who they would eventually name Ace, to lead the same sheltered life they did and so they moved into a small home in Crawley. 

When Ace was born, he was quite clearly different from the other children. He was extremely pale, to the point that some would describe him as green, with a long hooked nose and piercing red eyes. Murdoc was in his early fifties by now, though if you were to look at him, you'd have guessed he was in his thirties at the very most. He immediately loved Ace and took him on like a little brother. Much to their disappointment, Ace would never fit in with the humans, so it was decided that the couple would announce that they had a miscarriage as Ace went to live with the, by now, very small coven. 

As it turns out, his father was not the only protective primus in the city. The more he went out, the more younger vampires he'd see going out simply to spite their leaders. By 1812, they had formed a gang of sorts where they'd learn from other covens as to how to hunt, feed and, most importantly, survive. They called themselves the lost boys and never was there a more fitting name for a group of individuals.

The youngest of them all was little Frankie. He was small in stature, but he had a big attitude and a somehow even bigger heart. He was everyone's favourite and he knew it. That's why it upset Murdoc so much when he found out that he'd been kicked out of his own clan. He was seen as weak and was forced to fend for himself by his clan, which at this point, was on the brink of collapse. Immediately, Frank was invited to come to live with him. It's not like his dad minded, he hadn't had a coherent thought in years.

As the years grew, Murdoc had formed a coven within a coven if you will, with his dad merely taking control of making sure that their fridge was never empty of alcohol. Eventually, he and Max went on a hunt as they did on every other day, only for neither of them to return. Murdoc took over his place immediately and weirdly, nothing changed. He'd been running the place for so long, this was as natural as breathing.

Finally, he was primus. Finally, he was free.


	8. Saving Stu

After an anxiety filled flight, they finally landed about two streets away from the prison. If Murdoc had to draw a picture of what he reckoned he'll would be like, this would be the exact image. The moon getting closer and closer to the horizon as the old, battered building stood proud in the centre of a large metal fence. After his short visit some years back, the head vampire was quite familiar with the layout and still remembered the almost unnoticeable weak spot at the east side. They all got under with relative ease and split into their groups, heading towards their respective entrances. 

Gee and Frank would be joining him at the main entrance which was guaranteed to be the most heavily guarded. Murdoc let out a shrill whistle that was bound to have put the guards off, even if slightly as they simultaneously entered the building. 

The guards outside the building had very much the same reaction as the hunter did when he first heard Murdoc emit that ear splitting shriek. "OH GOD, MY EARS!!" cried one of them, clamping his hands over them while the other bent over double, also clutching his ears. When the noise was over, the guards were on high alert and left their posts to investigate the source of said noise.

When the coast was clear, Frank and Gee soon turned up and slipped inside like silent shadows. Down the hall, there were another 2 guards to get by before they could reach Stuart. Frank turned to Gee and kissed him with a quick yet strong smooch. "For luck~" he whispered before planning their next move. "You take the fat one, I'll go for the tall one."

Murdoc shook his head. Trust these two to kiss right at this moment. Gerard may have been a calm, quiet vampire but nobody kills his brothers and sisters and just gets away with it. He ran towards the guards with a ferocity that Murdoc had never seen in him. Before the guard had the chance to lift his gun, his fangs were bared and aimed straight for his pulse point. The guard screamed in pain as the vampire bit down hard. The guard could feel the life draining from himself in a horrifically peculiar way that can't quite be described.

Frank quickly followed suit and launched himself at the second guard who barely let out a gasp before he too was 'taken care of'. He was also surprised at the vicious streak Gee had in him which seemed to come from nowhere. At the very end of the hall, the path to Stuart was clear but he was sleeping in that uncomfortable kneeling position with his head hanging down. At least he HAD been until he heard the scream. He had been beaten and bruised where he had refused to talk and snitch on the coven, such was his loyalty.

The hunter looked up wearily, his eyes widening when he saw that the clan had come for him. "Frank! Gee!" he cried smiling through his pain, one of his eyes swollen shut from a punch along with a gash on his cheek. When he laid eyes on the Primus, his face really lit up and he struggled to stand, the chains holding him in place. " MURDOC!!"

Murdoc ran ahead of the two lovers before kneeling before Stuart. "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?" He tried to reach through the bars but his efforts were in vain. Gee searched the guard he'd killed, looking for keys or anything that could free their friend. Eventually, he rose with a large silver skeleton key, putting it in the lock and twisting until it clicked. He then did the same for the manacles, freeing Stuart. It was at this moment that the second group, consisting of Dom, Lydia and Allison ran towards them. Dom was covered in blood, but the smile on his face indicated that it was not his own.

Stuart looked back at Murdoc through his good eye, his other swelled shut from a hefty punch along with a gash to his cheek. They had beaten him pretty well for his silence. "I...I-I wouldn't tell 'em...Where yew were..." he grunted in pain where his ribs ached, making it painful to talk.

"I-I tried, my dear..." he whispered, referring to the fallen Vampires that couldn't be saved, tears rolling down his cheek before he collapsed against Murdoc once he was freed from his chains. The hunter was exhausted from his abuse as he clung weakly to him.

"Forgive me..."

Murdoc's face was plagued by a sad smile. He gently wiped the tears off of the younger's face as he cried himself. "It wasn't your fault Stu, I promise. They'd been waiting for a reason to come after us for years. I'm so proud of you." He then grabbed the other's hand, kissing it gently before rising to his feet. "None of that matters right now, we still have to find Ace"

Frank came over to help Stuart to his feet and put his arm under his shoulder to support him as Stuart wouldn't get far by himself. He looked horrified when Murdoc spoke of Ace. "He's no' back..At the cave?! I told 'im to stay...Ahh...W-Wiv' the others in the kitchen!"

Gee laughed "Ace never was one for following instructions. We'll find him don't worry, sweetheart." They all set off to search the cells, with Frank and Dom helping to support the weakened human. Murdoc knew that they wouldn't be able to find Ace just by walking around. "Stuart, love, cover your ears." Murdoc let out an inhuman screech. It was a kind of sound that humans couldn't hear particularly well but would give them an instant headache if too close. The group went silent,hoping for a response...

Stuart's arms were sore from hanging for hours in the dirty dank cell but he still covered his ears when told to. The horrendous noise echoed through the prison, even driving the rats mad to the point where they couldn't walk properly, their heads at a funny angle. Cautiously, Stuart removed his hands from his ears to hold onto Dom and Frank, anxious to know if they would get a reply.

Deep in the centre of the prison, Ace hung uselessly from his wrists. He was getting weaker by the minute and he knew it. Everything in his body was aching tremendously and he was beginning to give up all hope. He'd gone after Stu in hopes of freeing him, only to be captured himself. He'd fought so hard but it was to no avail. He was trapped.

His ears immediately pricked up when he heard Murdoc's call. He tried to move but there wasn't much use. Using his broken voice, he tried his best to call back. The sound was there but it was weak. He knew he had to keep trying and screeched as loud as possible, which in fairness wasn't awfully loud while clashing his binds together. He had to try.

Ace had been captured too? They hadn't bothered to kill him? Being a human, Stuart's hearing wasn't as acute as that of a Vampire so he didn't hear the frail reply from deeper within. "Is he 'ere?" he asked looking to Murdoc for an answer.

The group was silent. Murdoc looked to his human companion "I... I can't hear him" Gee came up behind him, gently rubbing his shoulder. "It's ok, we just have to listen harder. He'll be here." Everyone listened as closely as possible, waiting for a response.

Suddenly, they heard it. It was an unmistakably vampiric screech. It came from deep within the depths of the prison. They all knew where they had to go. They ran towards the call, not caring for the building around them. Their only priority was to save Ace; to save their brother. Eventually, they got to Ace's cell. Gee ran straight for the lock, grabbing the key from within his pocket. He jammed it into the lock only to find out it wasn't the right one. A menacing chuckle cake from behind them as each vampire immediately tensed up and released their fangs.

Things weren't looking too promising until a distant shrill shriek was heard, making Stuart flinch and grit his teeth. God, he hated it when they made that noise but on this occasion, he was glad to hear it as it showed that Ace was alive. Still weakened from his horrific treatment, Stuart stumbled behind them, using the wall for support and managed a weak smile when he saw his friend. But it didn't last long when he heard the cruel laugh behind them and quickly turned to see who it was.

Behind them all, stood a guard. He wasn't dressed like the others and was clearly of more importance. It wasn't the presence of the guard that disturbed them, however, it was his face. Every vampire knew of him but none had ever met him and lived to tell the tale. He was the most esteemed vampire hunter this side of Transylvania. They were all locked in the tiny cell with no weapons and a useless key. Each of them were equally terrified. 

Gerard grabbed onto Frank tightly, resting his head on his shoulder. While Murdoc held Stuart's hand, he was trying to stay strong for his pack but he knew there was no point. They were done for and there was nothing they could do about it.

Stuart's eyes widened as he too recognised the famous Hunter, his grip on Murdoc's hand tightening. He didn't have any weapons on him so he wouldn't be much use but he would still try to fight if he had to.

"Yew 'ave no business keepin' this Vampire or any of 'is kin..." he said, straightening up to his full height of 6'2, his voice becoming stern. "Stand aside. We're leavin' righ' /now/."

He simply chuckled. "Stuart H. Pot. You of all people should know what these creatures are capable of and you chose to associate with these monsters. You're just as bad as them. They've probably turned you already, haven't they?" He knew for a fact that he was still human but it brought him so much joy to see them squirm and try to deny it. "You brought this upon yourself 2D and I have to wonder why. Why would one of the most esteemed vampire hunters in England join these evil creatures"

His eyes lowered slightly and laughed cruelly. "Ahhh, I see. Little Stuart Pot fell victim to the primus' charms, huh? Do you really think he loves you? They aren't capable of love. Hell! They aren't even capable of emotion. It's such a shame you fell for it. You had your entire life ahead of you."

"Yew watch yewr mouth!" he snapped glaring back at him, his face going red with anger as he moved to stand in front of Murdoc in a protective stance.  
"We made a deal. Me in exchange for the freedom o' London." He narrowed his good eye as he glowered at him. 

"They didn't come 'ere wiv' the intent to kill, it was 'cos o' me an' my friend." he nodded back at Ace before returning his gaze to the other hunter. The more this guy spoke, the more pissed off 2D was getting. How dare he speak about them like that! "BE SILENT!" he barked when he mocked Murdoc's love for him, knowing it wasn't true. 

"I said to move." Stuart brought his fists up slowly like a boxer. True, he was injured but he still had some fight left in him. "I will NO' ask again'..."

He watched the proceedings with pure joy. Stuart was getting more and more aggravated, his anger clouding his judgement. Surely he knew the danger he was putting himself in. He considered killing the human but it would be an extremely bad idea with the pack of vampires backing him up ready to strike.

Murdoc also knew this. He stood up straight, faking confidence for the sake of his coven. "If you want to kill us, go ahead. Do it now. Open the door and face us yourself you coward!" he screamed in the hunter's face, spitting unintentionally. Gee grabbed onto his shoulder, leaning close. "Murdoc, I trust you with my life but what the ever-loving fuck do you think you're doing" he whispered into his primus' ear. While he was terrified for the lives of his brothers and sisters, Murdoc was over here taunting the man who had every intention of killing them all. What was he thinking?

Oh, Stuart knew the risk of imminent death looming over him, yet it appeared they had hit a stalemate. If this other hunter attacked first, Stuart had the protection of the Vampires behind him. The hunter would perish before he laid a finger on him.

Yet if Stuart attacked first, it was at the gamble of his own life. He was unarmed unlike the hunter before him. But he didn't seem to care about his own safety, he just wanted Murdoc and the others to be safe. "I warned yew..." he hissed before dashing forwards quickly in a zig-zag technique to make himself harder to hit as he swung a punch right at the enemy hunter's face.

He quickly blocked the punch, swinging the younger's arm back around himself so that he was stuck. When he was confident that he had 2D completely immobilised, he lifted him slightly. He very quickly unsheathed the knife at his hip before holding it right at Stuart's neck. "Any of you take one more step and I'll kill him right now!" He jabbed the knife closer for emphasis. A single droplet of blood dribbled from the wound. 

Murdoc was terrified. He raised his hands in submission before motioning for the group to back off slightly. They were stuck. Murdoc looked deep into the hunter's eyes, looking for any indication that he could've been bluffing but there was nothing. He stayed completely still, giving up all hope when three figures he instantly recognised entered the room. He stayed silent as the third group of vampires on the mission slowly crept behind the hunter brandishing a beautifully intricate knife. They just had to get a little closer.

Stuart's attack teetered on the fine line of bravery and stupidity as he /knew/ he had to do something. In his weakened state, he wasn't quick enough and cried out in pain as the other hunter restrained him, struggling in vain before he felt cold steel press against his throat, making him freeze in his grip. "Nghhh!" he winced in pain and grit his teeth when the blade bit into his skin slightly, producing the small amount of blood.

"Yew....Bastard!" Stuart hissed before opening his eye to look at Murdoc for what could very well be the last time, trying to hold himself together. He would die like a man as he silently mouthed the words, "I love yew' to the Primus, unaware of the aid approaching behind them.

Murdoc was nearly in tears. The pure fear mixed with the love he felt for Stuart were overwhelming him. Murdoc really didn't want those to be Stuart's last words. 

They came closer and closer, while the hunter smirked at the group's genuine fear. Before he knew what had happened, the blade was driven deep into the side of his neck. The shock caused him to jerk, cutting into Stuart's shoulder as he fell to the ground. He writhed in pain, knowing that he would die here on the disgusting floor of a prison cell. The knife was slowly pulled from his neck, each slow careful movement causing him to cry out. His last words were a whispered "I don't want to die" before he eventually lost consciousness. It was over.

Stuart tried to silently communicate to Murdoc with a stern blink of his good eye to go ahead and kill the hunter holding him hostage. Both of them would die, but the Vampires would be free. He loved him that much, he was willing to make such a sacrifice. 

The next thing he knew was searing pain as the blade bit into his shoulder making him scream in pain. Once released, he fell to the ground clutching his shoulder and looked down to see the other hunter squirming on the floor, a hideous gurgling noise coming from his mouth.

Stuart watched him die without saying a word, no taunts, no snarky remarks, nothing. He carefully stood up, his shoulder bleeding profusely as he made his way to Murdoc looking like he was going to collapse himself. 

Murdoc practically ran towards the younger. He held him tight to his chest trying his absolute best to avoid his injuries. He looked into his eyes, somehow laughing and crying simultaneously. He looked back at his group. Frank was crying into Gerard's shoulder, the girls were shouting and celebrating while some of the lads worked to free Ace. They had found a keychain on the hunter's belt, trying each key for the one that would get him out. Despite their celebrations, they were not looking forward to trying to get out of here.

Stuart shut his eye and embraced Murdoc the best he could, managing to half smile through his pain as he leaned in to kiss his lover passionately. Mission accomplished. They had saved both Ace and Stuart and avenged their fallen brothers.

When the merriment had died down, the hunter looked at the group with a pained wince. "No' to spoil the party, but we'd better get the fuck ou' of 'ere before sunrise."

Dom came up from freeing Ace "I'm working on it but I can't find the bloody key!" After seven more keys and an increasingly anxious pack, finally, Ace was safe. Despite being completely terrified and still insanely hungry, Ace was elated. He ran as best he could straight to where Murdoc and Stuart stood. He embraced them both in a massive hug, resting his forehead against both of theirs. "I'm so sorry I left. I've missed you both so much!" When he had kissed them both on the forehead, he went around the group making sure everyone was ok and thanking them all. 

"C'mon Ace, there's plenty of time for that when we're at home. Let's get out of here before someone else shows up"

Stuart hugged his friend tightly, trying to ignore his hacked shoulder and how much it was hurting when Ace hugged him. "I /told/ yew to stay back at the den, I-" he looked back at Ace and gave a soft chuckle before hugging him again. "I'm jus' glad yew're safe~"

When the group was ready, they made their escape from the prison into the darkness with only an hour to spare until sunrise.

Obviously Stuart couldn't fly and Ace was still weak so they opted to walk home. The journey was long and the moon was going down with every minute. By the time they were at the cave, the sun was beginning to rise and they each took turns shielding each other. It hurt like hell but it had to be done. As they stepped inside, they still weren't prepared for the massacre that awaited them. Both humans and vampires lay still, both identical in death despite their differences in life. They couldn't just leave them there to rot. The group decided the best way to go about it was to dig graves for their brothers and sisters outside the cave. They each made sure that they were entirely covered up before leaving the cave once again. 

During their efforts, Murdoc stayed entirely silent, the only indication that he was awake were the tears rolling silently down his cheeks. Ace couldn't take it. He had convinced himself that this was all his fault despite the vampires' assurances. He was too weak to work anyways, so he stayed in his room with the remainder of the blood they'd harvested earlier.

It was a grim sight indeed. Stuart hadn't lived with the clan for more than 4 weeks and considered the cave his home as well, now. After taking in the horrific slaughter, Stuart briefly excused himself to patch up his wounds before returning to help with the burials. He couldn't do too much due to his injury and ended up standing beside Murdoc with his arm around him.

At a time like this, the Primus needed support. Of course, he would get to Ace as well in time but as the leader, Murdoc had to come first. "I'm so sorry, my dear..." he said, bowing his head in respect. "I'll find whoever did this and give yew the revenge yew deserve."

"An eye for an eye and the world goes blind, Stu. Sometimes, we have to wonder whether it's worth creating an endless cycle of bloodshed, or just to leave and be left." He cuddled into the younger's shoulder. They'd finished by now, their pack-mates currently six feet under, never to be seen again. "This is all my fault"

Murdoc was right. 2 wrongs didn't make a right and further conflict would keep this war going forever. The hunter held him close, rubbing his back gently. "Yew mustn't blame yewrself, Murdoc. These bastards would've attacked sooner or later." 

He kept him close, letting him cry as guilt flooded into his mind. "If only I was faster. If only I'd seen 'em comin', maybe I could've done more..."

Eventually, he looked upon the miserable group that was his pack and beckoned for them to come inside. Everyone was still terrified following the attacks and so the primus decided it would be better for everyone to sleep in the same room. No one, other than Ace, had ever been in Murdoc's room so they were all curious as to what it was like.

When they got in, they realised just how big it actually was. It was a large round room with a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. He never thought he needed much else. When he'd first moved into the room, it had been filled with his father's belongings. It was all so grand and beautiful, but Murdoc was never a materialistic type. Dom and Lydia went to get the blowup beds from the spare room before shifting them around. Once they were all ready, the vampires each went about choosing where to sleep and huddling together. Murdoc turned to the youngest of the group "so, where do you wanna stay? You can take my bed if you want, you've had a long day"


	9. Finally home

When Murdoc offered him his bed, Stuart felt that he couldn't refuse it. Besides really wanting to sleep with his lover, he knew how much he needed him after losing a chunk of his clan.

"Will yew be in it too?" he asked hopefully as he looked back at him with that cute look on his face.

Murdoc couldn't hide his look of shock, "well I was gonna sleep on the floor but if that's what you want then sure." He tried to sound confident but his stuttering gave him away for sure. He gestured awkwardly towards his bed. "This is mine. I mean ours. I don't know. Of course, you know that. I'm sorry. Just like, get comfy" he couldn't hide the deep red blush that covered the entirety of his face.

Frank looked up from cuddling Gee, both of them laughing their asses off. "You're doing great Mudz! Keep up like that and I won't be able to keep my hands of ya!" Gee slapped his hand gently whispering a quick "leave him alone, Frankie. He's still doing better than you"

Stuart couldn't help but smile at the flustered look on Murdoc's face and took his hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss. "Ow rude would I be if I forced a King from 'is own bed?" He laughed at Frank's comment, blushing a bit himself.

"Honestly, if yew're no' cool wiv' it, /I/ will sleep on the floor. No bother~"

"No! no, it's fine. Don't worry about it. No bother at all."

Frank watched the cringe take place before him "Guys! I swear to Satan! I don't even care about hunters anymore. I'm going to my room. If I have to watch any more of whatever this is, I will combust." And so, dramatically as ever, Frank swept up his lover and carried him to their room. Ace stood up also "yeah, I'm with Frank, I kinda think you two need to be alone right now." Despite Murdoc's assurances that this was not weird and they weren't even together, the vampires all left for their rooms. Suddenly, they didn't seem as frightened as they were before.

Well, that was awkward as hell. Feeling himself dying on the inside, Stuart quickly looked away from Murdoc and cleared his throat. "Which erm...Which side d'yew sleep on?" he asked busying himself with removing his shirt, forgetting about the whip marks and burns on his back from torture.

"I don't know whichever you want I guess. I usually just sort of..." he performed a vague starfishing motion as if making a snow angel... out of air? He looked at the hunter, spotting the red marks that covered his back. "Stu, what the fuck did they do to you? I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

He gave a small snort of amusement when Murdoc 'starfished' the air but was quick to turn around and hide his back from him when the Primus asked what had happened.

"I-I wouldn't talk," he said quickly, not wanting to talk about what had happened. The hunter quickly got into bed and curled up into a ball on his side facing Murdoc. He didn't want to show his back again and at the same time, he didn't want to be seen looking so...' Pathetic'. Stuart pulled the sheets right over his head, ashamed of how weak he looked.

"You should have told me. I'd have fixed you up." He walked over to his wardrobe, looking for something. When he emerged, he held a tube of antibacterial cream. He sat down on the bed and looked over at the younger, "what? Cold weather fucks me up! Do you want some? It'll sting like hell but it'll be better in the long run."

He lowered the covers just enough to show his eyes, looking at the cream before giving in and sitting up to show his back, accepting his offer. "Some fuckin' killer I turned ou' to be..." he muttered quietly. "I'm s'posed to be one o' the best Hunters there is an' I couldn't even take on 3 blokes!"

"You know for a fact that none of that was your fault. No one could've taken three people on when they were tied down. Not even John Wick." He squirted the liquid onto his left hand, offering Stuart his right. "Squeeze if it stings too much" he gently rubbed the cream onto his back, not rubbing it in for fear of hurting him. Very gently, he applied it to each wound, whispering words of praise with each one.

Stuart was bitter with himself for not saving every Vampire (which would have been impossible anyway as there were 3 assassins) and just let out an annoyed sigh. He did snort a laugh at the John Wick comment, though. He held Murdoc's hand in his own and braced himself. 

"Mate, I've been stabbed in the shoulder. I doubt a bit o' cream's gonna bother- FFUCK!!" He hissed in pain as Murdoc started to apply the cream, cursing each time it made contact with his skin. Still, it was either this or risk a skin infection...

Every pained gasp and whimper made Murdoc cringe. He never wanted to cause him pain and had to stop at times just to compose himself and give Stuart a break. "I'm so sorry, love. You're so brave. You did so great." he went to the other side of the bed, removing his shirt before getting in beside 2D. He looked into the other's eyes, slightly giddy at Stuart's presence. "Hi."

After the ordeal was over and the cream was rubbed in, Stuart carefully laid down on his side and soon saw Murdoc facing him, which made all of the pain worth it. "Hi~" he answered back with a chuckle, blushing bright red now that they were so close.

"Fanks for doin' my back. It already feels better." 2D's eye was still swollen shut but it would soon heal and he would see out of it again. This yewr first time sharin' a bed?"

"Um yeah, it is. That obvious, huh?" He shook his head. Why was he so awkward all of a sudden? This is weird. I'm weird. What is happening! "Well I used to share a bed with Ace when he was younger 'cause he'd get scared sometimes. That was different. Obviously. I mean I wasn't exactly planning to fuck my little brother, was I? That was weird. I'm so sorry." He hid his face trying to avoid the other's eyes.

2D blinked at him and widened his eye when Murdoc said what he said about Ace. He was silent for about 3 seconds before he burst out laughing. It was so random and came out of nowhere. His laughter subsiding, he reached out to gently stroke Murdoc's face, finding it cute how nervous he was.

"My God, yew've changed from the Vampire I met 4 weeks ago." he mused bringing his face a /little/ bit closer. "Yew're nervous, 'aint yew?"

He completely melted under the hand touching his face. "I know. Everything's just so new, ya know? I've never felt like this with anyone. I have hundreds of years of awkwardness all built up!" He reached out his hand, offering it to the human.

Stuart took it gently and brought it to his lips in a sweet kiss. "I owe yew, big time," he said, speaking against the top of Murdoc's hand before lowering it slightly.

"Yew took a massive risk to save me an'...No one's ever done tha' before." The little glint in his eye told the Vampire he was grateful. "Fanks for comin' back for me~"

He shook his head "you owe me nothing, love. You're one of us now and none of my pack gets left behind." he smiled slyly "although... I wouldn't say no to a cuddle"

2D giggled and moved to cuddle right up to him, wrapping his arms around him. His back was already feeling better and had absorbed the cream so it wasn't all gross and gooey. "I love yew~" he cooed nuzzling against him affectionately.

"I love you too, darlin" and he genuinely meant it. He'd never felt such pure love for someone else before. "Ya know, I'm kinda glad those guys left" he gently stroked down Stuart's side, his fingers dancing along his skin.

2D let out a pleasant hum as Murdoc's hand started to explore his body for the first time. "Would've been awkward as shit if they sat down an' watched!" he giggled, his hand moving down to stroke over Murdoc's chest and gently squeeze his nipples.

He chuckled lightly "Oh absolutely!" He let out a sound similar to that of a mouse as he felt the foreign touch. It was strange but not unpleasant at all. He let his hands wander more before settling on his hips, drawing small circles there as he brought his lover closer.

This was all new to 2D as he had never been touched this way but his body was going on autopilot like it somehow knew what to do and how to respond. He grinned at the little noise Murdoc made and suddenly closed the gap between them, kissing him passionately with a soft moan.

Murdoc was surprised for a second but soon caught on. Their lips drifted over each other. It was sloppy and gross and inexperienced and it was perfection. Murdoc groaned under his breath before tentatively running his tongue over the other's lips as if asking permission.

At long last, this was 2D's first proper kiss. When he and Murdoc first met, it was different, fleeting and brief. But not this time. They were both putting in work and soon enough, the younger was running his hands through the other's hair, opening his mouth to let him explore inside.

And explore he did. His tongue moved around each part of his mouth appreciating it all equally. His hand eventually shifted from his hip to his ass, gently grinding against him. He eventually pulled back for breath, groaning at the intense feeling.

Oh, 2D liked that. He was already getting hard and was panting slightly when Murdoc pulled away. "Oh G-God..." he groaned closing his eye as he felt Murdoc grinding against him, filling him with an emotion he never knew he had - Lust. He had zero experience with relationships so this was a lot to take in.

"Stu, stop." He moved back a little bit, getting a bit overwhelmed. "It's... I've never done this before. How does it, ya know, work? I'm scared, D" he'd let his mind get the best of him. He knew he wanted to carry on but he also wanted Stu to be happy.

"Wot?!" he asked quickly, worried he'd done something wrong until he heard Murdoc's confession. He looked back at him, completely bemused. "Wot, yew're askin' /me/?" he spluttered going very red in the face now as he backed off a bit. It was funny in a cute way. 2 grown men having no clue how to behave in the bedroom.

"I-I don' know!" he fretted, biting his lip as he looked away. "There mus' be a way o' doin' it, look at Frank an' Gee!"

He nodded "yeah you're right. How about we just, like, continue as we were and hope that works out? I'm not visiting my brothers at 2 pm for a sex ed lesson. I don't have the mental capacity for that right now." They were both adorably stupid.

Of course, they couldn't help being naive as neither had experienced this before. Wait, 2 pm? 2D blinked at him, suddenly looking puzzled. "Shouldn't we be sleepin'? It's day time."

Murdoc was confused. "Oh yeah... are you tired? Cause like, if you are, we can go to sleep if you want" Damn he's struggling with English today huh?

In truth, Stuart was exhausted but he didn't want to spoil the mood if Murdoc felt affectionate. "Nah, Nah, I'm fine. Jus' finkin' o' yew, is all." he smiled nuzzling him again.

Murdoc couldn't help but blush "oh yeah, I'm just fine. Don't worry about me." Murdoc looked into the human's eyes. He still genuinely had no idea as to why Stuart would want him. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

The answer was a multitude of things that 2D didn't fully understand himself. Stockholm Syndrome, loneliness and the general fact that Murdoc just was drop-dead (heh heh) gorgeous. Not a lot was happening but 2D was still enjoying their quiet time together as he returned the kiss, tilting his head a bit to strengthen it.

Out of everyone in the world, Murdoc just had to fall in love with a human, didn't he? He still didn't understand why he immediately felt such attraction to Stuart but he knew that it was real. This kid would be the death of him one day but might as well enjoy the ride. He followed the younger's lead, deepening the kiss until they couldn't have gotten any closer.

Kissing a Vampire was a unique experience. Stuart was warm and living whereas Murdoc was cool to the touch and un-dead. But Stuart enjoyed it just the same. Eventually, he had to pull away for some air and started to chuckle to himself. "Cos I love yew, does tha' make me a necrophiliac?"

Murdoc considered this. Technically he is dead, but he's not dead dead, ya know? "I genuinely have no idea, to be honest. Does that... bother you? I can go if it makes you uncomfortable." He was a bit gutted, he was enjoying that but equally, he respected Stuart and his boundaries. To be honest, Murdoc didn't know how he'd feel about it if he was in Stu's position.

Stuart simply laughed again and shook his head. "Murdoc, yew could be a rottin' zombie infested wiv' maggots an' stink to 'igh 'eaven an' I'd still love yew~" He cuddled him close, not realising Murdoc was so sensitive. He came across as cocky and confident in front of his group but really, he was as timid as a kitten. Well, when it came to love, it seemed.

"I'd be pretty fucked in the 'ead, but would I care? No' at all. We're no' 'urtin' anyone~"

Murdoc shivered. He had always been extremely sensitive and he had never cuddled with someone like this. It was strange but it was so nice. Each little touch made him relax more and more. "You're not wrong." He was still painfully hard but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was 2D.

2D was so warm and cuddly, despite being a bag of bones and he enjoyed a good cuddle. "I've go' an idea!" he said suddenly, his face lighting up with his epiphany. "Wot if yew wank me off an' I wank/yew/ off?" It would be a simple start to get their love life going.

Murdoc considered it. That was something he was at least somewhat experienced with. He could do that! "Yeah, that could work. Do you want me to move or stay like this or what?" ok he may have been experienced with his own body but when it came to including someone else, he was completely fucking clueless.

2D very nearly raised an eyebrow at him and asked if he was joking. But, wanting to be a supportive boyfriend he simply smiled. "Righ', we stay exactly as we are an' yew stick yewr 'and down my pants." He tried to keep a straight face as he had to explain how to give someone a handjob and waited for Murdoc to do it. "Now, I'm gonna do the same to yew, ok?"

"Yup that's fine. Totally cool." He slowly lowered his hand, dipping under the waistband of Stu's underwear. He looked into his eyes, looking for any indication that he might want to stop or that he was doing something wrong. When he found nothing, he gently took ahold of his lover's dick, slowly bringing it to full hardness. Once he'd gained some confidence, he leaned down to kiss the human. 

2D returned it with a gentle tenderness as he repeated the action with Murdoc, delving his hand down into his pants to grasp his cock and slowly started to pump the shaft with his hand. He'd never done this to another bloke before but he'd tried it on himself many times while his Mum was out of the house.

He couldn't help but moan into the other's neck, hiding his face. He continued, mirroring Stuart's steady rhythm. It felt so much better when he did it. He ground into 2D's hand, trying his best to keep the rhythm. He'd taught himself to play bass some years back so that helped a bit.

2D smirked when he felt Murdoc moan into the cook of his neck, managing to stifle a grunt of his own as he continued to pump him, biting his lip as his cheeks flushed pink. "Ow's tha' feel?" he asked seductively.

Murdoc crumbled under Stuart's deep lust-filled voice. He was so far gone, he was completely incapable of forming a sentence. With much effort, he managed to stammer out a broken "s-so good, Stu." He felt a knot begin to build in his stomach. To distract himself from how embarrassingly close he was, he devoted all his efforts into Stuart's cock. He sped up and began twisting his wrist when he got to the head. He let out moan after moan before eventually putting his mouth to use on 2D's neck, sucking and nibbling on the crease between his shoulder and neck.

2D let out a gasp when Murdoc started to replicate his movements and closed his eye, letting out a moan. He was getting close as well and when Murdoc started to use his mouth on his neck, that almost pushed him over the edge. "Huurghhh...~ Mmmm..." Within seconds, he climaxed, letting out a contented sigh as he continued to pleasure Murdoc, not caring or minding if he bit him to get to his sweet blood.

With a final, embarrassingly loud moan, he came into Stuart's fist. He finally quit assaulting Stuart's neck and gave him a soft and tender kiss. He dreaded to think how gross they were, both covered in cum. "We should probably take a shower or something, huh?" If he was being honest, he didn't want to move but he wasn't a total slob.

"No' bad at all, my love~" he cooed kissing him back affectionately. Luckily, they didn't have any 'spillages' on Murdoc's lovely bed and when it came to hygiene, 2D was a very clean person and at the mention of a shower, he was totally up for it. Carefully, he let go of Murdoc's dick and waited for him to do the same to him before getting out of bed and tucking himself away with his free hand. "Which way to the shower?"

Murdoc reluctantly fell out of bed before groaning from the floor. He got up as if nothing had happened and pointed with his non-gross hand towards the bathroom "it's just here." Murdoc quickly grabbed them both a towel before looking apprehensively out of his door. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he practically ran across the hallway to the bathroom, before beckoning Stuart to do the same.

2D snorted a laugh when Murdoc fell out of bed but put on a poker face when he stood up again. He watched Murdoc scurry out of his room like a rat across the hall, motioning for him to follow. He had his pants on so he wasn't that fazed about being seen and gave a small tut and a roll of his eye before walking casually over to him. "Yew really are a baby, yew know tha'?" he chuckled.

Murdoc scoffed playfully "ya can't just shag a guy and then call him a baby ya wanker." he couldn't keep himself from giggling at the comment nevertheless. "May I join you, or would you prefer to get cleaned up by yourself?" He waddled over to the shower, turning the tap on so it could warm up.

"We didn't even shag, though! It was a hand job!" he laughed playfully pushing him aside as he went to wash his 'dirty' hand in the sink. "Well, I'd enjoy the company~"

He had a point there. "eh close enough in my opinion" he extended his arm, offering a fist bump. He checked the water, which had gotten quite warm by now. He gestured towards the shower before sinking into a low bow "after you good sir"

2D knew you should never leave someone hanging and returned the fist bump before putting his hand on his chest in mock surprise when Murdoc allowed him to go first. "Why, fank yew! Most generous~" He stepped out of his underwear, now fully naked and stepped under the water with a sigh, his hair darkening a bit from getting wet.

Murdoc hadn't really had the chance to fully appreciate the other in the bedroom. While he got to work on removing the remainder of his clothing, he admired everything from the tips of his bright blue hair, to his extremely long, slender legs. Now that he was a bit more confident, he would love to get between those legs in the future. Once he was stripped of his inconveniently tight pants, he joined Stu in the shower, revelling in its warmth.

2D could feel the other's eyes on him, which made him feel good about himself. He had a delicate figure yet he had small definitions of muscle but what really stood out was his bum. It was almost feminine looking with its ample curves like a ripe peach.

The warm water felt great on his achy muscles after such a long night and having Murdoc there with him made it twice as nice. "Ow did yew managed to get indoor plumbin' in a cave?" he asked grabbing the soap and lathering it up to wash his nether regions. 

"Mate, quite frankly, I haven't the foggiest. We've always had clean water since way before I was born. Honestly, I just stopped thinking about it years ago." While Stu was washing, he leaned over him in an attempt to grab the shampoo. He rubbed it into his scalp, enjoying the relaxing warmth after such a shitty day. His hair was jet black and in dire need of a trim. He usually did it himself because there weren't many beauticians willing to accept vampires nowadays.

2D lathered his whole body with soap before standing under the shower to rinse it all off, his body glistening from the water. It was then he noticed Murdoc's physique and raised his eyebrows.  
"Bloody'ell, d'yew work ou' or somefin'?"

Murdoc looked down at himself and then towards Stu. "No, not really, why?" He'd never seen himself as fit in any way but with the offhand compliment he stood up a little taller, looking awfully happy with himself despite the crown of soap suds that lay over his curls. He admired the other "your not too bad yourself, darlin"

2D blushed and quickly turned away to start washing his hair. "I'm nuffin' to look at but /yew/ are somefin' else~" He rinsed his hair enjoying the feeling as he smiled. "O' course, bein' a hunter, yew've go' to watch yewr figure an' all tha' but I was the skinniest at the Academy."

He chuckled, damn this boy was dead set on making him blush today. "Aw fuck off, you're absolutely stunning. I'm just an old soddin vampire. What about me is so special, huh?" Murdoc dipped his head under the water, the soap dripping down from his head. He stroked over his hair, ensuring it was all out. "You may be skinny love but guess what." He leaned towards his lover, wrapping his arms around his waist. He rested his head on the human's shoulder before whispering into his ear "I love it..."

"Well, one thing tha' makes yew special is tha' yew're near nigh' impossible to kill," he answered with a giggle, sensing Murdoc walking up behind him. He reached up to hold the side of his head, kissing his cheek as the vampire rested his chin on his shoulder. Oooh, that whisper sent goosebumps down his spine! "Such a flatterer~"

He kissed down from his ear to base of his shoulder, making tiny marks all the way down. "Only for you, darlin'." It was true, Murdoc would honestly never consider doing this with anyone else. He truly was special.

2D barely felt the marks at all. He was used to being bitten in hunts so he had a high pain threshold. "We'd better get to bed in case we wake the others." he grinned in a hushed voice, reaching up to turn the shower off.

"Yeah, you're right" he leaned out of the shower to grab their towels which were pleasantly warm after being on the radiator. He passed Stuart his before quickly rubbing at his hair and wrapping it around his waist. Feeling much calmer now, he walked across the hallway to his room, beckoning for Stuart to join him.

The hunter dried off his body and hair, wrapping the towel around his head and quickly following Murdoc stark naked back to his room. It seemed that the hunter was a bit more daring. Once they were safely inside he dried his hair again with the towel before slipping back into bed, shivering a bit from how cold it was.

Murdoc was always cold so the temperature didn't particularly affect him. "Are you cold, love? I can get you a blanket or summat if you want." He looked down on the shivering human, he couldn't have his guest freezing to death now, could he?

"Oh, no, no! I'll be ok in jus' a sec," he said quickly hugging his knees to his chest, his body heat soon making the bed warm. He relaxed his body a bit more and rolled onto his back with his eyes closed. God, he was tired.

"Alright then." He practically crawled into bed, cuddling up to the younger from behind. His warmth soothed the older as his breathing lulled him to sleep. He let out a little yawn, "g'night D"

Unlike the other vampires, Murdoc had his own personal 'human radiator' to give him warmth whenever he wanted it. It was technically daytime, but 2D was too tired to correct him, muttering a quiet "G'night'~" before drifting off.


	10. Ace needs space

Murdoc woke up the next evening happy and well-rested. He got out of bed, careful not to disturb the younger before slipping into some clothes. He left the room to go find the others. They weren't in the kitchen or dining room, which was unusual for those greedy gits, and they weren't in their rooms either. He walked into the living room, still feeling upbeat. 

When he turned the lights on, he was greeted by the entire pack jumping out at him. "What the fuck guys?!" He wasn't particularly angry but it scared him for sure. Frank danced over to him in the most dad-like fashion he'd ever seen.  
"Congratulations my dude!"  
"For what?"   
"For getting laid! Obviously!"  
Murdoc avoided his gaze "Frank I love you, but you are one weird dude."  
"Yup! It's part of my charm" he gave the older a hug, grinning up at him like the child he was.

2D slept in for 10 minutes more before finally getting up and dressing. He had grey circles under his eyes where he was still a bit tired from the events of the night before but other than that, he was fine.  
With a huge yawn, he trudged into the living room openly scratching his arse, his hair sticking up in spikes. "Is it someone's Birthday or somethin'?" he asked scratching his head when he saw the rest of the vampires together in an excitable huddle. His bruised eye was also looking better today and he could see out of it again.

Frank practically skipped over to him, the vampires parting like the sodding Red Sea. "Ayy! Well if it isn't Stuart Pot! How are you feeling this morning, my most bodacious buddy?" 

Murdoc was done with everything at this point. He stood in the corner, a permanent blush plastered onto his face. This would end well. He knew that Frank meant well but he didn't want Stuart to feel uncomfortable. "Oi chill out will ya? Leave the poor lad alone"

2D's eyes widened when Frank merrily strolled over, still having no clue what the fuss was about. "B-Bodacious?" he spluttered starting to go scarlet and 'turtle' up by drawing his neck into his body. "I'm er, fine. 'Ow're yew?"

He feigned innocence, pretending to admire his extremely short, black nails. "Oh me? Yeah, I'm great. So, how'd you sleep?" He was having way too much fun with this. Murdoc needed to get this kid a treadmill just so he could work off even a tiny bit of his excess energy; he's like a chihuahua on crack.

"Fine!" he said quickly, his eyes scanning the crowd for Murdoc or Ace to help him. "Yep, went out like a ligh', no sweat." He was starting to sweat a little bit with embarrassment and tried to turn the tables on him. "Yew an' Gee sleep well?"

Frank giggled "you sure there was 'no sweat' involved?" With that comment, Murdoc's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Alright, now that's enough. Stop assaulting Stuart, ya little bastard!" Frank went back to Gee's side, only to receive a clip round the ear from his lover. He deserved it and he knew it.

Ace sat on the sofa, lost in his own mind. He was happy for Murdoc but he couldn't help but feel pretty bummed about the whole thing. He may have accepted that Stuart was Murdoc's and vice versa but that didn't mean he wasn't still entirely enamoured with the hunter. He made sure that everyone was distracted before silently leaving the room. No one noticed but it was better that way, he needed to be alone right now.

2D could have died from embarrassment right there until Murdoc interjected and Gee saved the night by clouting his lover around the ear, which made the hunter feel better.  
Karma was a wonderful thing.  
He made his way to the table to have something to eat and let his eyes wander over the rest of the clan before noticing something. Ace was missing. 

He made a mental note to go and see him after he had eaten, wondering if there was a reason for his absence.

As always, Frank was loud, Murdoc spent almost the entire meal staring at Stu with love eyes, Gee was reserved but happy to sit and watch, the girls were singing and the lads were joking. The atmosphere was so lovely and upbeat, despite everyone's inner sadness and anxieties over the past few days. Although everyone was munching merrily and laughing like hyenas, they all felt something was missing. Eventually, Dom spoke up, "Hey guys, has anyone seen Ace?" They all looked around as if he'd just be sofa but he wasn't.   
Murdoc was the first to speak up, "No, I'm sure he's alright though. He's probably just working on something in his room." 

After a while, Murdoc began to get increasingly concerned. Ace often hid in his room if he was feeling overwhelmed but he hated the thought that he might be suffering in silence. "I think somebody better check on Acey"

2D was the first to volunteer and quickly stood up. "I'll go. Been wantin' to talk to 'im, actually." The hunter got up from his seat and made his way down the hall to knock gently on Ace's door before opening it slowly. "Ace?" he asked in a gentle voice, poking his head in. "Yew ok?" 

Murdoc was glad that Stu had volunteered. He knew that Ace trusted him and he'd be more likely to tell Stu if something was wrong. He nodded his head, ignoring Frank's bitching as 2D trotted down the hallway.

Ace was sat on his bed, messing with a little fidget toy that was usually placed on his dresser. "Oh hey D, you feelin' okay?" He may have felt down but he sucked it up for the sake of his friend. He didn't want to annoy him or drive him away.

2D watched him with a look of concern as he came in and sat beside him, putting his arm around his shoulder. "To be honest, no I'm no'," he said keeping his eyes on his friend. "Somethin's playin' on yewr mind an' THA'S playin' on my mind."

Ace leaned into the calming touch, closing his eyes and getting lost in the moment. He stayed there for a minute, revelling in his warmth, before pulling away. He deserves this. Stuart was Murdoc's not his. "I'm... I'm fine Stu, don't worry about me." He smiled at the younger, before focusing his attention back on the fidget toy, avoiding his gaze.

Stuart knew that Ace had feelings for him. He could feel it in the way the other communicated with him. But Murdoc had gotten in there too quick and took him for himself. But that didn't stop the hunter from feeling guilty for something that wasn't his fault. Ace didn't want to talk about his problems where 2D /did/ and continued to press the issue. "Ace..." he took his hand in his own and gave it a small squeeze before kissing it. "Tell me."

Ace was nearly in tears. Every single repressed emotion built up into one big ball of anxiety in his stomach. He looked into 2D's eyes. Such pretty eyes. He leaned in close to the other, catching him in a hug. Ace was quite a bit shorter than Stuart so he had to look up at him. He was practically in his lap now, still looking into those deep black orbs. He slowly moved closer until their lips met. 

He pulled back after a few beautifully indulgent seconds, each anxiety flowing out before crashing down on him once again. "I'm... I'm so sorry, I... I didn't..." he stumbled over his words as he waited for Stuart's reaction.

The moment Ace's arms flew around him, 2D held him close not caring that the other was virtually sitting on his lap. Damn it, he needed comfort especially after the massacre and the hunter wasn't going to leave him high and dry. He looked right back at him, his onyx eyes as deep as a black hole in space.

His eyes widened when Ace KISSED him, not expecting him to make such a bold move considering he belonged to Murdoc. Yet he didn't pull away. If this was what Ace needed for closure, he would oblige. If Murdoc caught them, all Hell would break loose but it was only one kiss, right? When the other pulled away and tried to explain himself, 2D held up his hand to silence him. "It's alrigh'..." he answered quietly reaching out to hold the side of his face. "I made a promise to always be there for yew. If this will 'elp yew to get over me, then so be it."

Ace was slightly dejected. He was glad that Stuart hadn't punched him or anything but he didn't want pity kisses, he wanted something real. He stayed close to the other but didn't touch him. He didn't want Stuart thinking he owed him something, if anything, it was the opposite way around. "No, that's not fair for you. I'm so sorry, I need to go." He got up, walking towards the door.

2D stood up quickly and went after him, quickly grabbing his hand. "Where we goin'?" he asked making it abundantly clear that Ace wasn't going anywhere on his own. "Does Murdoc know 'ow yew feel?"

That stopped Ace right in his tracks. "No, Murdoc doesn't know. Please don't tell him, Stu." He may have loved Stu but Murdoc was his brother and he didn't want a petty crush to come between them. Murdoc really did always come first, huh?

"I wasn't goin' to, I swear," he said putting a hand over his heart. He smiled and put his arm around him in a matey sort of way. "Buddy, I'm a freak o' nature. Wot Murdoc sees in me, I'll never know. I'm puzzled to wot /yew/ see in me."

Ace scoffed. "If you're a freak of nature then Satan knows what I am. I'm a literal vampire Stu. Name one human who has ever found a vampire good looking and no the sparkly ones do not count." How did he not get it? He was a goddamn masterpiece; art worthy of Da Vinci himself.

"Well, me for instance. Murdoc's a total /dreamboat/..." he got a glazed look in his eyes for a moment before snapping out of it and coming back down to earth. "There's a dude ou' there for yew somewhere, mate. Which reminds me! I don' think it's safe to stay 'ere after wot 'appened." He looked at him seriously. "The authorities know where we are."

Ace let out a little snort only to immediately cover his face. "Yeah, Mudz was always the good looking brother." He considered it. Maybe there was someone out there for him! The small smile it brought to his face was immediately taken away at Stuart's next comment. "I know. Most of us have lived here all our lives. It's hard to let go ya know? I think we all need time to chill before we inevitably end up homeless. To be fair though, I don't think they'll come for a while considering what happened with that hunter."

Stuart hated wiping that smile off of his face like that but they had to think logically. More hunters would come in time if they stayed. Wanting to give him a little ego boost, he chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. "I jus' wanna say, when all tha' shit was goin' down? Yew were brilliant. If it weren't for yew, we'd 'ave lost so much more." 2D smiled and leaned down to give him a peck on the cheek. "I'm so proud o' yew~"

Looking back, Ace was pretty sure he blacked out for just a little second. He couldn't say anything but a groaned "eueahuehha." Damn, he really needed to get over his brother's boyfriend before he was the death of him. 

2D laughed and patted his shoulder, leading him to the door. "C'mon, let's play cards. If yew win, I'll give yew my dagger~" He did like Ace a lot and cared for him but he couldn't betray Murdoc whom he also loved unconditionally.

Ace let out a gasp "your dagger?! That's awesome, you're on!" He'd never truly get over his first crush but having him around was honestly way more than he deserved anyway.

Although Ace was too late to have his love, he would always have his friendship. So, that night, they had a few frames of poker (with Stuart losing on purpose) and when it was over and time to bunk down before daybreak, 2D remembered his stuff was still in Ace's room. once he had transferred it to Murdoc's, he turned to Ace and handed him a beautifully engraved silver dagger. "There yew go!" he beamed proudly. "May it serve yew well~"

He admired the dagger, slowly running his fingers over the intricate designs. "Stu it's beautiful. Where did you get it?" He could tell it wasn't new, but with the right care, he knew he could restore it to its former glory. He'd owned quite a few daggers in his lifetime and he was more than happy to show them all to Stuart. His first one was a gift from his parents as a sort of final goodbye and his favourite was the one that Murdoc had passed down to him when he went on his first hunt with the pack. He'd never owned a silver blade before, due to the increased risk of getting seriously harmed but he'd always wanted one.

2D chuckled and crossed his arms, enjoying the glee in his friend's face. "Tha' was given to me by Father Linton as a gift when I killed a Vampire in Nottingham years ago. Don' worry, the blessin's long worn off." Now that he thought about it, was it wise to give a Vampire a dagger made of silver? "Jus' a word of advice," he said looking down at the weapon, "Wotever yew do, NEVER touch the blade. Tha's pure silver an' will burn like a son of a bitch. As long as yew always 'old it by the hilt, yew'll be fine. I'll give yew the holster for it too." He disappeared for a moment before returning with a black leather holster with a velvet lining. "Tha's if yew need to take it wiv' yew, it won' burn yewr skin." he smiled before snorting a giggle. 

"If a rival Vampire gives yew shit, jus' show 'em this baby an' they'll back off."

Ace was in absolute awe. "This was blessed? This is a blessed blade? That is so cool!" He was unsure how to feel about the fact that he was holding a knife which had potentially killed a lot of his kind. To be fair, his own hands weren't exactly the cleanest. He looked over the drawer containing his blades. He gently placed the dagger on his dresser before picking up both sides of the velvet which lined the bottom of the drawer, revealing what was underneath. Inside, was an extremely old, brass ring which had been carved into the shape of a coiled snake. It was immaculately clean and stored inside a small glass case which had also been meticulously polished and maintained. He picked it up very gently before placing it in Stuart's hand. "Here, keep this."

Stuart hadn't expected anything in return and was just fulfilling his end of the bet. When the beautiful ring was placed in his hand, he stared at it with a soft gasp, the shimmering brass reflected in his eyes like mirrors. "Oh Ace...! I-I can' accept this, it's yewrs!" he spluttered carefully holding it as if it were made of glass. He had never seen anything like it.

Ace had always loved intricate metalwork and over the years he'd collected many blades, necklaces, rings, and other little pieces. This particular ring was by far his favourite. It was an heirloom that was passed down through his family for generations. He didn't know much about it, as the only information he had about it was what Murdoc had relayed to him through various stories. All he knew was that it came from his father's family and that it was the wedding ring for some distant ancestor of his. Ace knew for a fact he never wanted to get married and he sure as hell wouldn't have any kids to pass it down to, but he knew that Stuart would appreciate it as much as he does and maybe he could pass it onto his own kid someday. "It's yours now, I won't accept no for an answer."

Murdoc knocked on Ace's door and immediately, Ace called for him to come in. Murdoc opened the door to see his brother looking up at him extremely guiltily, a blush covering his cheeks. "Are you... ok, Acey?" Ace nodded too quickly. What was wrong with those two tonight.   
"yeah, I'm just a little tired, ya know? Long night I guess." He was still a horrendous liar and Murdoc caught on immediately.  
"Why are you two acting so weird tonight? Stu barely spoke to me earlier!" This caused Ace to look somehow more guilty, which really wasn't helping. Murdoc looked him up and down, his bed was messily made, his knife drawer was open and his cheeks were still flushed. "Did something... happen?"   
Immediately Ace got defensive, sitting up straighter and biting at his nails. "I told you, nothing is wrong! Go away Murdoc!" Over the years, there had inevitably been quarrels between the two but Murdoc had never seen him act like this. He didn't come to fight and figured he needed some time alone. Feeling down, Murdoc simply nodded and left the room. What the hell had happened?

He walked to his room, still feeling like shit. He opened the door, and changed into some shorts before getting in bed beside Stu. Even in sleep, he looked slightly troubled. Murdoc gently stroked over his arm before lying down, faced away from Stuart. He couldn't sleep.

The last thing 2D wanted was him to come between Murdoc and Ace. No relationship was worth that cost. That was another reason why he wanted some time away from the cave. If he wasn't there, they couldn't bicker over him. 2D slept for about 5 hours until 8 am rolled around and carefully got out of bed, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Murdoc turned towards him slowly. "Morning Stuart." His voice was hoarse and his eyes were red but he still smiled for the younger's sake. He whispered so as not to startle the other and to hide just how broken it was. "Where you goin', lovely?"

"Jeez!" Stuart jumped and stared at him holding his chest, trying not to act like Murdoc had just scared the shit out of him. "M-Mornin'." he said quickly composing himself as he got dressed. "I 'aven't seen my mum for a while so I was gonna pay 'er a visit..."

Murdoc leaned up on his elbows. "That's fine, lovely, do you want anything before you go? I can make you a sandwich if you want."

2D paused, surprised with how well this was actually going. He had feared that Murdoc wouldn't want him out of his sight after what had happened but apparently not. "Oooh, yes please~"

Murdoc was still unsure as to why the two had acted so strangely but Stuart was clearly a lot happier this morning and he didn't want to wreck the mood. He got up, shoving on some pants and an extremely old band t-shirt and waddled over to the kitchen. He set about making a simple ham sandwich, putting in a lot more care than what he would for himself. "You feeling alright this morning?"

"O course, why?" he asked having followed him into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. "Did yew talk to Ace?" he folded his arms and rested them on the table while he waited for an answer.

He looked up from his master sandwich making. "I was just asking," back at it again with the getting defensive, he noted. He sighed at the mention of Ace "yeah, I did and he got really defensive. What happened between you two last night? You're both acting really weird"

2D had to play his cards carefully, here. He had promised Ace he wouldn't tell Murdoc what had happened, but Murdoc needed some peace of mind that things were ok. "Look," he sighed lowering his gaze to the table. "I'm sorry. I'm no' feelin' myself, lately. I'm still fucked up from wot 'appened an' I'm scared tha' if we stay 'ere, it'll 'appen again." He got up from the table and walked up behind Murdoc, embracing him as he put his head over his shoulder.

"Ace an' I...We're tryin' to move on from bein' in those shitty cells yew saved us from. It's no' an easy thing to forget."

Murdoc put his arms on top of 2D's and leaned back into his touch. "I'm sorry darlin' I didn't know it affected you that much. If you ever need to talk about anything, I'll always be right here." he turned around to kiss the corner of his mouth. He let out a chuckle "ya know, I was beginning to think there was something going on between you two." He turned back to the chopping board, placing the final slice of bread onto his masterpiece.

2D smiled and nuzzled his face into his neck, making kissing noises. "I know, baby~" When Murdoc spoke of him and Ace being close, the hunter chuckled and showed more affection by kissing the back of his neck. "Ace is a good bloke an' friend to me. But I only 'ave eyes for yew, love~"

His neck had always been extremely sensitive and each kiss sent tingles down his spine. He practically purred as he enjoyed the affection he was receiving. Once he'd finished cutting the crusts off the bread (because crusts are gross) he turned to his lover, giving him the attention he deserved. He gently moaned into the others mouth softly. His voice was still wrecked but it didn't matter. "I'm gonna miss you today"

2D picked up on Murdoc's voice and gave him a final big squeeze with a smooch on the cheek before letting go. "Didn't sleep well?" He asked sadly watching him prepare his sandwich.  
He smiled and lifted his hand to kiss it respectfully. "I'll only be a few hours. I jus' need to check she's ok an' I'll come straigh' back, promise~"

"What? Oh right, no not really, just couldn't get to sleep is all." Looks like they were both telling lies this morning. Great. He handed Stuart his lunch, which was now wrapped up in tin foil, and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, darlin'. Be safe, ok?"

"Love yew, too." he smiled feeling like a kid going to school when he got his sandwich, kissing him on the cheek. The hunter left the den and headed through the forest in the direction of his mother's house, making a mental note to talk to Murdoc later on to make sure he was ok.

Murdoc watched as he left. He was a lot more content now that his mind had been put to rest. He'd have to have a chat with Ace later and apologise for last night. For now however, if was way too earlier and Murdoc decided it was time to finally try and get some sleep.


	11. Lost in the woods

2D spent 5 HOURS out of the den before making his way back. He and Rachel spoke of everything and anything and the main topic was where he was staying. Inevitably, 2D had to reveal the truth to her and like any parent, she wasn't very happy about it. /Especially/ when he told her the leader was his lover. When he returned to the cave, he looked miserable.

Murdoc's ears pricked up when he heard someone enter the cave. He'd previously been talking to Lydia on the sofa but they both went dead silent over the noise. Fortunately, the only person who entered was Stuart. Lydia gave him a wave in greeting "hey Stuart, you doin' ok, bud?" They both looked over to the human with equal concern over his miserable appearance. They made plenty of space for him to sit down on the sofa beside them.

Stuart just wanted to be on his own but he couldn't be rude and refuse them. He sat between them and buried his face in his hands before breaking down, his shoulder's shaking from sobbing. Something had happened...

Murdoc immediately went to wrap his arm around the other. He attempted to calm the other with whispers of "what's wrong, love? Are you ok?"   
Lydia patted him on the back before getting Stu a box of tissues. "I'm gonna give you two some alone time, if you need owt, I'll be in my room."

The hunter was hysterical as he clung to Murdoc, bawling his eyes out. His words were incomprehensible where he was so upset. "I LOST 'ER!!" he wailed burying his face into the vampire's chest as he continued to sob. "I-It's over...!!!"

Murdoc held the shaking human tight to his chest, shushing him gently. "It's okay, it's okay, darlin'. Who's lost?" He wasn't great at comforting but he tried his best. He stroked his hand through his hair, trying his best to calm him down.

2D looked up at him with tears streaming down his face. "I-I can' see 'er anymore...She asked where I was livin' an' I couldn't lie to 'er an'-" he paused and bit his lip as his eyes welled up again before turning his head away. "She /disowned/ me!!" He started to struggle against Murdoc and pushed him away. It was all HIS fault that this had happened. "THIS IS ALL BECAUSE O' YEW!" he screamed standing up and pointing a finger right in Murdoc's face. "Makin' me stay 'ere jus' to stop yew killin' people, it's cost me my Mother!!"

Murdoc was speechless. He backed away from the other, more hurt than anything. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt forced. You can leave here any time you want, Stu. I thought you knew that" Each word that came out of Stu's mouth hurt like a silver blade to the chest.

It was quite harsh to put all of the blame on Murdoc but the hunter was so distraught that his mother no longer wished to see him, he was saying things he didn't mean to say. Now he was torn. He didn't want to leave the cave because he'd lose Murdoc but after that disrespectful display, he could be exiled.

Not knowing what to do at that moment, he bolted out of the cave and ran into the woods, needing to be alone.

Murdoc stayed in his seat. Every inch of him wanted to run after Stuart and take him back but if he chose to leave, then he had to respect that. He stayed in stunned silence for a while before Gee entered the room with a snack. "You doin' ok, Mudz?" At the genuine concern of his friend, he completely broke down.

He knew Gee was talking to him but he couldn't hear a word. He just cried into his chest while Gee held him tight. Gee had never seen Murdoc cry like this. He was usually so stoic and tried his best to stay strong for the clan's sake. He held him as close as possible, helping to ground Murdoc and get him out of this state. He'd learned to deal with it quite well because Frank often had panic attacks and terrible nightmares, mainly about his old coven. He whispered quiet words of praise into the older's ear until he could speak coherently.

"He's gone, Gee. I love him and he's gone" Gerard was completely surprised by that. He and Murdoc had been doing just fine the day before. He didn't want to distress the primus anymore so he opted to not ask questions and help him focus on right now.

Stuart couldn't believe it. His mother refused to see him any more over feelings that he couldn't help. It was cruel and unfair. Sat under a tree, he thought back to the group and how they had become like his family. He thought of Murdoc and how he had blamed him for all of this... 

If Rachel didn't want him, why should Murdoc after what he said? The hunter spent a long time in the woods, not knowing if he was going to return to the vampires...

Murdoc curled up into Gerard's side. He'd explained what had happened between Stu and his mum while Gee listened, pondering what to do. After a while, Frank had entered the room, looking for his boyfriend. They all ended up in a cuddle ball on the couch. All of them loved Stu and knew how much he changed Murdoc when he was around. Of course, they wanted to console Murdoc but they also knew that nightfall was approaching quickly. With no place to stay and nothing to protect himself with, he'd surely be in trouble.

Stuart looked up at the sky through the trees, his eyes puffy and bloodshot from tears. It was turning a pretty purple colour and the stars were beginning to spark to life like twinkling diamonds. The temperature was dropping and all he was wearing was a t-shirt, jeans and boots. He wrapped his arms around himself to try to keep warm and jumped when a nearby owl hooted making him quickly stand up.

Everything always looks different at night and Stuart's eyes widened when he soon realised he was lost. In his hysteria, he had run so far into the woods that he hadn't paid any attention to which directions he took. Even if Stuart wanted to go back to the cave, he had no idea which way to go. Out here, he was at the mercy of wolves, bandits and, at a push, witches.

Obeying the number one rule of getting lost, Stuart stayed right where he was, his fear growing as the sky darkened. He had to think fast and remembered that the clan communicated with those horrible, bat-like screams. If it gave him a chance of being rescued he would have to try. At the risk of making his position known to predators, Stuart took a deep breath and screeched at the top of his lungs at the highest pitch he could muster, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify the sound.

His cry echoed through the woods sounding more like a wailing cat than a vampire call as he waited anxiously for a response...

The three looked up from their place on the sofa. They went silent, listening out for anything. Until they heard the sound once again. They looked up at each other, knowing who it had to be. Murdoc immediately jumped up, running towards the entrance when Gee grabbed his arm, "I'll come with you." Murdoc nodded, grateful for his amazing friend. 

Frank stayed behind to make sure everything was ok here, seeing as Ace hadn't left his room at all. Murdoc and Gerard ran towards the entrance before shifting into their bat forms. The screeches were getting weaker by the minute so they'd have to find him soon. They soared over the forest, searching for the source of the call.

It was hurting Stuart's throat making such an unnatural sound but he had to keep trying, each one sounding worse and more feeble where he didn't have the vocal strength for it. He scanned the skies for any signs of bats, squinting into the darkness. How would they see him even if they could track his call? It was almost pitch black now as he looked around blindly, hearing the noises of the woods all around him. But that wasn't the only sound he heard...

A growl. "Fuck...!" he whispered turning around to see a pack of wolves stalking him. He could just make out their eyes in the darkness as he let out a last feeble screech before his voice gave out.

The two were struggling. They'd searched the forest for a while now and there was still no sign of Stu. Eventually, the cries gave out and they were left with nothing. They knew sort of where it was coming from but they could only narrow it down so much. None the less, they refused to give up hope. After a short while, Murdoc heard the other screech and dive. He'd found him.

Murdoc followed quickly behind, trying to see where Gee was looking. As they got closer to the ground, they saw that Stu was surrounded by a pack of wolves. They sped up before dropping to the ground on either side of the human, facing the pack. They growled and snarled at the wolves, hoping that they'd back off.

For a moment, 2D feared he was being robbed when 2 figures he couldn't see in the darkness suddenly appeared either side of him, making him squeak in alarm. "Who's there?!"

He had to rely on his ears now as he was blind in the darkness and he could hear growling and snarling all around him which was terrifying. The vampire's willingness to claim their human aggravated the Alpha wolf who suddenly pounced at them, baring its sharp teeth.

Murdoc immediately jumped in front of Stuart, slashing at the wolf wherever he could reach while Gee held off some of the more daring pack members. He unsheathed the blade he had concealed by his thigh before throwing it at Stu's feet. Murdoc was badly injured by now, but the alpha was worse off. He managed to dig his claws into its face, dragging them down past its eye. The wolf howled in pain but fought on as best it could.

Stu saw the blade glint by his foot before quickly picking it up and plunging it into the Alpha's shoulder. The animal yelped which made the rest of the pack more cautious, some of them retreating while a few brave (or stupid) ones stayed to fight.

2D grunted as one of the wolves knocked him to the ground on his back, it's horrible breath hitting him in the face as he grabbed it by the throat, keeping it at bay as it snapped its jaws trying to bite him. He stabbed it in the ribs and kicked it off of himself before standing up holding his arm. By now, a number of the wolves had been killed and the remaining ones started whining as they turned tail and sped off back into the woods.

Panting from the fight, 2D looked at his shadowy companions, trying to make out their faces. "Yew...Yew saved my life!"

Murdoc stepped into in front of Stu, where the moonlight was shining gently down. "I promised that I'd keep you safe, did I not?" Gee slowly approached Stu, still cautious before waving at the younger.

When he recognised who they were, Stuart sheathed his blade as his eyes welled up again, falling to his knees in front of the Primus. "Forgive me...I deserved to die back there for 'ow I spoke to yew." He was grovelling at Murdoc's feet as he wept, his hands grasping Murdoc's trouser leg. "I'm a fucking idiot who didn't realise 'ow good I 'ad it!"

He looked up at Murdoc, his eyes shining with tears. "I spoke so rudely yet 'ere yew are, savin' my worthless life..."

The two kneeled to hug him, holding him tight. Murdoc wiped Stu's eyes, "Stuart, I love you. You've been through a lot today. I don't blame you for anything you've said or done. Do you wanna come home with us?" Gerard watched them both, happy to see them reunited.

Sniffling, he hugged them both, very happy that they had come to his rescue. "Yes please..." he croaked, his throat sore from 'bat screaming'. He looked back at Murdoc as the other wiped his tears, taking his hand and covering it in kisses.

Murdoc rose to his feet, helping Stu up also. Gerard looked over some of his most obvious injuries. "You got pretty messed up back there and we've got quite a way to walk. Do you want one of us to carry you?" They were all injured but the vampires were a lot better off, and a lot stronger in general. 

2D politely raised his hand and shook his head. "Fanks Gee, but I'll walk. I deserve some sort o' punishment for bein' a total shit'ead..." He stayed close to Murdoc and kept his head down, still deeply ashamed of himself.

Murdoc was not having that. "You deserve punishment? Fine, your punishment is the embarrassment of having your boyfriend carry you like the goddamn Disney princess you are. You've been through a lot today, I'm not having you break a fuckin leg on me. We can't exactly take you to a hospital." He gently swept 2D off his feet with little difficulty "C'mon then princess, we gotta get home before something else tries to kill us." 

Gee thought they were both adorable. He shook his head at Murdoc's antics and giggled under his breath. He stayed on guard making sure that nothing else was going to pounce on them when they least expected it.

2D flushed deep red at being called a Disney princess and was thankful that it was dark so the redness of his face wouldn't be so obvious. Still, being humiliated worked as a punishment so he didn't say anything as Murdoc picked him up and just hid his face in his chest, trying to ignore Gee's giggling.

"This forest's fuckin' massive!" he said finally lifting his head to see where they were before nuzzling his neck affectionately.

Murdoc nodded. "Yeah, but we're nearly home now, don't worry." His arms were aching slightly but it was so worth it just to see that beautiful face blush beneath him.

After what seemed like hours, they arrived at the entrance to the cave. Gee ran ahead to where Frank was waiting anxiously, practically jumping into his arms.

Murdoc gently put Stuart down, helping him to get to the cave and kissing him on the forehead once they were inside. "So, was that punishment enough for you, my love?"

"In my eyes, nuffin' will ever be enough," he answered quietly before pulling him into a big hug, glad to be back in his arms again. Stuart was still understandably gutted about his mother but he was very happy to be back in the cave and under the protection of the clan. "Fanks for comin' for me, my dear~"

"Stuart, I will never leave you. No matter how much it hurts me, I will always come back for you." He held him tight, giving Frank a middle finger when he called him a 'soppy old bastard'. He loves his clan with his entire heart and was extremely glad that Stu was back. 

Murdoc hoped with all his heart that he was back for good. For the first time, Murdoc wasn't stuck in the past and present, he could imagine a future for himself. He wondered what would become of his clan. Maybe, eventually, Stuart would want to turn, but he'd never blame him if he didn't.

There was nothing outside of the clan for Stuart any more. He would live out his years with them and maybe agree to be turned one day. But for now, he was just happy to be back with what he considered to be his family.

2D and Murdoc had a promising future together providing they didn't get flushed out like rats again. He was still a human, but 2D felt like one of the clan, now.

When they were done cuddling, Frank and Gee took their turn showering the human with love. After a while, Frank spoke up, "we missed you so much Stu, I know I'm an asshole, but I like you, dude." The two backed up, giving Stu some space. "Right then, who wants to watch a movie?" Murdoc's suggestion was met with enthusiasm from Frank and Gee as they both looked at Stu for his input.

Stuart put his arm around each of them and smiled. "Frank, yew are an arse'ole. But I love yew for it." He laughed heartily before thanking Gee for his help in rescuing him. A film sounded like a great way to relax after a shitty day and 2D was all for it.

All three of them agreed, laughing together and playfully jabbing at each other. They all went into the movie room and put on the breakfast club. They all sat on the back row, Frank and Gee cuddling up together while Murdoc was sneaking secret kisses. They were all together and they were all happy.

This was the happiest 2D had been in a long time and he couldn't stop giggling when Murdoc kept kissing him. Near the end of the film, the hunter fell asleep with his head on Murdoc's lap, all curled up and comfortable. 2D never thought he would marry anyone but he was looking at things very differently, now...

Gee and Frank looked over at the sleeping human and the presumably big scary vampire who was currently smiling his ass off and stroking his hair. They both looked at each other before letting out a quiet 'aww'. The film soon ended and the three vampires quietly sang along to don't you forget about me. Gee and Frank went to bed and Murdoc was tasked with getting Stuart to bed without waking him up. He gently scooped him up, carrying him bridal style to their room. When they were inside, Murdoc tucked him in and gave him a final kiss on the forehead before getting in beside him and spooning him. Murdoc hadn't slept so well in months.

2D didn't stir once when he was carried to Murdoc's room and stayed fast asleep as he was laid in bed, the corners of his mouth upturning slightly when he felt Murdoc cuddle him from behind. What had started with tragedy had ended in happiness now that they were together again.

Murdoc woke up feeling warm and refreshed. For the first time, he felt alive. He was slightly sticky with sweat which was strange but he brushed it off. He stretched a little bit, fully waking up when he realised he was hard. What the hell was he meant to do? Did he get up and go to the bathroom? Did he stay hope it went away? He felt Stu move in his sleep and yelped slightly. Shit.

The hunter slept soundly all through the day. He knew his place in society now which put his mind at ease. Of course, he would be seen as a public enemy for siding with vampires but he didn't care. While he was sleeping, he stirred a little bit and pushed his arse outwards right into Murdoc's crotch before going still again with a deep sigh.

Murdoc groaned under his breath. What was the right thing to do in this situation? He decided it was best to just turn on his other side and hope for it to go away. He tried to disturb Stu as little as possible but it wasn't going too well. He turned over as quickly and quietly as possible, hoping he hadn't disturbed the other.

Nope, that wasn't happening. 2D started to awaken and sat up slowly, stretching his body as he rubbed his eyes. "Mmmm...~" His moan almost sounded sexual as he turned his head to look down at his partner to see if he was still asleep.

Well, that didn't help at all. He turned around again to look at the human, trying his best to conceal his problem. "Mornin' love, you feelin ok?" He tried to stay under the covers as much as possible but still leaned up to kiss him.

2D yawned and nodded his head accepting the kiss before stretching again with a grunt. "Better than ever~" he purred leaning down to nuzzle his neck. Feeling somewhat playful, the hunter giggled and tackled him in bed, covering him with kisses as he almost straddled him, barely missing his dick.

Murdoc squeaked at the unexpected contact. "Ohhh, it's like that, is it?" He kissed up Stu's neck, leaving no patch of skin unnoticed. After he'd covered the expanse of his neck and shoulder, he growled and flipped them over. He was now completely straddling Stuart's waist. He leaned down to continue his attack on his neck.

2D squealed when Murdoc flipped them over and giggled even more, suddenly feeling Murdoc's obvious hard-on against him. "W...Wot the fuck's tha'?" he laughed unable to see it due to Murdoc's body being in the way.

Murdoc went still. "Shit. I'm really sorry." He blushed from ear to ear before getting off Stu and curling up beside him.

The hunter genuinely didn't know what it was and looked at him, puzzled as to why he 'clammed up' all of a sudden.  
"Wot's the matter? Are yew ok?" he asked sitting up and leaning down to cup his face and see what was wrong.

He looked up at his lover, placing a kiss on his nose. "Oh me? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just...." the rest of his sentence was completely incoherent from where he'd hidden his face in Stuart's chest.

"I'm jus' 'wot?'" he asked not buying Murdoc's lies at all. "Mate, yew're actin' weird. Like yew've go' a dirty little secret..." He started to smirk getting an idea of what it was. "I'm righ', aren't I?"

Murdoc nodded, keeping his face hidden in his chest. Now that Stuart knew, he may as well have some fun with it despite his embarrassment. He gently caressed over his chest and shoulders, leaving kisses over everywhere he could reach.

Stuart knew how embarrassed Murdoc was and the last thing he wanted to do was push him over the edge. So he played it cool and let his hands wander over Murdoc's back as the other kissed his body, starting to get hard himself.

He held Stuart close. He gently moaned into Stuart's chest, stroking down his sides. He kissed lower and lower, leaving marks as he went. He pressed his face into Stuart's stomach, looking up at him from his place between his lover's legs.

The hunter was ticklish by nature and giggled as he was kissed lower and lower, his cheeks a healthy shade of red by the time Murdoc went as low as he could. "Wot're yew doin' down there, my dear?~" he cooed snapping the waistband of his underwear.

"Just thinkin bout how beautiful you are, love." He nuzzled at his belly button, feeling the blue hair below scratch at his face. He could've stayed like that forever, just holding his lover and looking into his eyes. It was perfect.

The hunter laughed at the motion to his stomach and lowered his hand to stroke Murdoc's hair lovingly. "So, Gee an' Frank...'Ow will they get married?"

Murdoc practically purred into his skin, enjoying the sensations. "Well, marriage is kind of a loose term. Marriage is a union in the eyes of god, and god has nothing to do with us. Our marriage is a ceremony of loyalty to each other as opposed to a higher power or whatever. It's really important that all members of the coven, or covens, attend. Frank hasn't even got the balls to propose yet but they have all the time in the world." He ran his fingers down his sides, indicating his want to take things further without pushing the human.

2D gave a weird groan when Murdoc spoke into his stomach and just let himself flop onto his back with his arms above his head. He looked so vulnerable and innocent with a stupid grin on his face. "Fuck, yew're so beautiful..."

"Oh baby if I'm beautiful then you are positively divine." Murdoc looked over the younger, taking in how beautifully submissive he looked. He sat up, straddling his hips while his hands wandered over his skin. He experimentally pushed his hips down, surprised at just how good it felt.

2D closed his eyes, grinning broadly when Murdoc sat on him again, reaching his hands around to cup his arse cheeks. "Haahhh..." When Murdoc moved against him, it felt amazing to him too and it made him buck his hips a bit, wanting more.

Murdoc lay on his chest, kissing him heatedly before moving his hips again. The friction between them was incredible with only thin cotton barriers separating them. The vampire groaned into his mouth, enjoying every sensation. He moved his head down, sucking and licking at the crease between his neck and his shoulder. He bit down a tiny bit onto Stuart's skin before looking up to see his reaction.

2D kissed him back with an equal passion, his eyes half open with lust as Murdoc moved again, causing him to moan from the feeling. Was this it? Were they going to have it off??  
All 2D knew was that he had never felt so horny in his life and he was ok with Murdoc nipping him, flinching a tiny bit as it was unexpected but still enjoying it.  
"God, I could stay like this forever..." he sighed looking up at him dreamily.

He couldn't help but groan "me too baby, you're amazing". He'd eventually found a rhythm, pushing his hips down slowly but with purpose. He made sure to leave plenty of marks over his neck and shoulder, making sure everyone knew he belonged to Murdoc. He tilted his head to the side slightly, offering it to Stuart. This was the ultimate show of submission between vampires and everyone knew it.

2D's neck and shoulder looked like a dot to dot puzzle by the time Murdoc was finished with him. The Primus wasn't all he seemed at all. When they met weeks ago, he was confident, arrogant and had an aura of dominance about him that made 2D feel about 10 inches tall. Yet in reality, he was timid, sensitive and quite reserved. It was really strange.

Stuart raised his eyebrows in surprise when Murdoc offered his neck, his mouth agape. This was the leader of the clan! He was showing submission to an inferior human? Not knowing what to do, he reached up and kissed it, holding the side of his face with his hand.

Murdoc was getting closer by the second. He continued rolling his hips before revealing more of his throat, completely giving himself up. He leaned into the others touch, "you can leave marks if you wanna."

2D let his lips wander over his neck where he left a lovebite, letting his mouth linger for a while before letting go. "I-I can' 'old on much longer..." he whined, his eyes rolling back in his head.

The primus moaned at the sensation. The feeling of lips against the sensitive skin of his neck felt like heaven. "Me too, love, just let go."

2D lost it and ended up practically destroying his underwear as he came, with a cry of the Primus's name. He lay panting hard on the bed beneath him, looking half-dead from his orgasm. "Fuuuucck....."

Murdoc came similarly. He held Stuart tight, inevitably leaving scratches from his claw-like nails. He lay beside Stuart, catching his breath before looking over at the human.

Well, they had taken the next step with their relationship and had mimicked the action of having sex without actually having sex. 2D winced in pain at the scratches the other left on his chest and arms but made no action to stop him. Once he'd caught his breath, he looked back at Murdoc and chuckled. "I don' know wot the fuck tha' was but WOW."

"Honestly, me neither but it was fuckin incredible." As he lay there with Stu, he realised just how long it had been since he'd had a fag. He pulled the cigs and a lighter off the dresser before offering one to Stuart. He lit up his own and enjoyed the warmth that invaded his lungs, probably destroying them in the process.

It was the perfect time for one after that experience and 2D gladly accepted it, leaning in so that the flame would light them both at the same time. "Cheers~" he smiled before blowing a smoke ring upwards towards the ceiling.

Murdoc had never felt so at peace. Sat in bed with the man he loved, sharing heat and marvelling at the wisps of smoke flowing from his mouth. Which deity had he pleased to deserve any of this? He couldn't help but think about the future. Stuart had asked about Frank and Gee getting married, is that something he'd want one day? Murdoc had never thought about it. Being a single primus, there had been no reason to even consider marriage. What about kids? Did he want them? Did Stu want them? Murdoc figured he'd be a pretty shit dad; it's not like he had a great role model. "Ever thought about the future, love?"

If there was one thing 2D had always wanted, it was a family of his own. While he technically had one now with the vampires, it wasn't the same as having a little version of himself running around and calling him 'Dad'. He loved kids as he was on the same level of immaturity as them and hey, they were fun to play games with. "I've been thinkin' abou' it a lo' over the las' couple o' days, actually," he replied glancing back at him before taking another puff. "Be nice to settle down, get married, 'ave a couple o' kids..."

Murdoc choked on the smoke a little bit. "Really? You'd want kids? Like... with me?" The concept excited Murdoc more than he'd ever admit. He'd love to settle down with a Stu more than anything. He couldn't lie though, the concept scared him also. The only parents he'd ever seen had either been abusive or just straight up abandoned their child. There was also the fact that Stu was still so young. He had his whole life left to live, yet he'd chosen to give it all up. What if Murdoc couldn't make him happy anymore? What if he ended up staying purely because his entry into the human world would guarantee his death and he wasted his whole life for nothing?

It was true, Stuart couldn't return to civilisation and his life before he met Murdoc. If he did, he would be hunted down like a dog with a thick noose ready to go around his slender neck. No one in the clan would rat him out so he was safe in that sense. He wasn't so sure about his mother, though. Having disowned him, she could talk and then, bam. They would ALL die. Something needed to be done about that...

"O course I would!" he chuckled pushing those dark thoughts from his mind for now. "Jus' imagine it, playin' wiv' yewr son or daughter, 'earin' 'em laugh for the first time, first words..."

Murdoc went silent, a smile danced across his face as he imagined it. "That sounds amazing. I wonder what they'd look like. Although, as long as they get your brains, I'm not right fussed." He got rid of the remainder of his cigarette and turned to look at Stu. "Would you ever consider turning?" He knew it was a difficult question and he didn't want to make Stu uncomfortable, but it had been sitting heavy on his mind for some time now.

2D froze when Murdoc asked that dreaded question. Could he give up his humanity, his very /life/to start a new one? The thought terrified him, who would want to voluntarily 'die'? It took him a while to formulate an answer and he looked a bit grey in the face when he did. "To 'ave children, I 'spose I'd 'ave to, wouldn't I?" he asked hoping Murdoc would say no.  
What would their offspring be like if he remained living? Would they be hybrids? Was such a thing forbidden in vampire society?

Murdoc cuddled up to the other, stroking down his arm to try and ease his fear. "Of course you wouldn't. You could still have children just the same, I don't know if they'd end up with powers or not but does that matter? I mean sure, the teething stage might hurt like hell but other than that it wouldn't be a problem." In vampire society, children of a human and a vampire were traditionally looked down on, but he knew no one in his coven felt that way and he doubted they'd be exposed to many other vampires in their life.

2D appreciated that gesture and sighed resting his forehead against Murdoc's shoulder. He didn't want to prohibit their child from living its life if it was a 'full' vampire which would mean staying out of the sun and also the ageing process. Would it stay a baby forever or grow to a certain age and stay that way? If he remained human throughout the pregnancy, there was a chance it could be born as a human or half-vampire. But of course, he could never tell Murdoc that. He couldn't help what he was.

"Would it even be possible to get me knocked up? I'd like it to be in our images." He mused looking thoughtful as he ran his hand over his flat stomach.

Murdoc placed his hand over Stuart's, just imagining it. "Yeah, it's a difficult process like, and my coven doesn't exactly specialise in magic. If you wanted it, it could be done." He ran his fingers over the other's stomach, the gentle touches tickling where their child would lie.

2D placed his hand over Murdoc's as they both laid there, thinking of what could be. "Wot would we 'ave to do?" he asked looking back at him and giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"You're serious about this, huh?" He thought about it, going silent for a minute. "I don't know a great deal about it because it's not exactly something I ever thought about. The only things I do know came from Gee, to be honest. We'd have to meet with a healer from another coven and they'd talk to you and stuff. Then, they figure out where to go from there. Obviously, you can't have a kid without a womb but I'm not entirely sure as to how it works. Either way, you have to wait six months after that before you start trying for a kid to make sure your body doesn't reject it."

That made sense as biologically, it was impossible for a male to conceive. Although 2D wanted it to happen, maybe he was rushing into this a little bit? "One day~" he smiled cuddling up to the Primus and looked him dead in the eyes. "Maybe we should tie the knot first, mm?" He giggled and started blushing. "Like, if yew actually /want/ to get married, tha' is." 2D loved the idea of marriage. It was the ultimate form of unity and that they truly belonged to one another.

Murdoc was elated with that. Those simple two words made it all seem so much more real than questions and hypotheticals. 'One day' meant he was here to stay. He continued to stroke over his abdomen. Murdoc would never see a day where he wouldn't think about those two words and the weight that they carried. 

"Are you joking? There's nothing I want more than to marry you someday." Again, they were in their little perfect world of promises and hypotheticals. Murdoc could sit and talk about the future with Stuart for all of eternity and he'd never get bored. "Ya know, to marry the primus of a coven means that you'd be second in command. If anything were to happen to me, you and Ace would hold all responsibility for the pack."

2D smiled and gave a hum of contentment when Murdoc continued to stroke his belly, trying not to laugh as it tickled. Oh yes, the hunter had firmly affixed himself to the pack and intended to stay with them for the rest of his life. There was nothing in the human world for him now, anyway.

"Really? I'd be second banana?" He snorted at the idea of him being in charge, not seeing it happening. "Tha's no' why I wanna marry yew. It's all for love, no' power. An' wot're yew talkin' abou'? The great Murdoc Nicalls gettin' taken ou'? Pfft. No' if /I/ 'ave anyfin' to do wiv' it..." he wrapped his arms around him in a protective cuddle, frowning into the distance.

"Yeah, if we got married, you'd be seen as the queen or a mother at the very least. You'd be great, everyone already loves you." He couldn't help but imagine claiming Stu as his queen, the thought filling him with joy. Murdoc laughed heartily at his comment and held the human tight. "I thought the same about my brother, you know? He was always amazing on hunts, way better than me, but they still got him anyway. I may be immortal, but that doesn't mean I'll live forever." He hated thinking about leaving Stuart behind but if he did, he knew Ace would always be there for him.

"A Queen!" Stuart laughed at the idea of such a feminine title but oddly enough, it did fit him. He would do whatever he could for this pack and would help to rule it alongside his King as best as he could.   
"I stand by my words. If anyone comes for yew, they've got to get through me first." He gave him a quick squeeze and giggled, feeling excited about the prospect of marriage. "Stuart Nicalls...'As a nice ring to it, don' it?" he smiled wondering what their wedding would be like.

Murdoc hummed at the thought. "It sounds perfect love." Murdoc hadn't thought about the name situation but he liked the idea. Taking someone's last name was the ultimate claim and it served as yet another representation of what Stuart had given up for them to be together. He felt incredibly guilty for causing the damage he'd caused and he was more than prepared to make up for it in the future. He didn't know what Murdoc could exchange that would even begin to cover Stu's loss but he had to find something. For now, though, all he could give was his love, affection and promises of a better future.


	12. Mildly awkward encounters

2D chuckle to himself before sitting up and taking off his gross underwear. If they didn't have a washing machine, he'd just burn them instead. His stomach growled for food but he had to wash himself 'downstairs' before he could go to eat something. "I'm jus' gonna clean myself up an' get some grub, I'm starvin'."

"Good idea, love. Do you remember how the shower works or do you want me to come with you?" He also stripped himself before grabbing some new clothes out of his dresser. They hadn't left the room all night, the pack was probably either getting concerned or wreaking havoc. While Stu was having a shower he could ask the lads to go out and get something to eat, they were all desperate for a trip outside anyway.

"Oh no, it's fine." he smiled making his way to the door. "I can remember. I'm jus' gonna wash my nuts in the sink." He chuckled at that expression before slipping out of the door with a hand over his dick to hide his modesty.

Murdoc snorted "alright just make sure Gee doesn't find out, proper clean freak he is. If he finds out, he'll stab us both." He got up and shoved on whatever was at the top of his dresser. He left his room to find the others being their normal chaotic selves and playing poker with Cheetos. It should be noted that none of them like Cheetos. He went to sit at the head of the table to see Frank practically vibrating with energy, he never did have a good poker face. Gee was the first to greet him.   
"Oh hey Mudz, want me to deal you in?" the primus shook his head.  
"Oh no thanks, love, I'm just enjoying watching."

They continued their game for a while before Frank flipped the table and they had to stop. The poor kid didn't have an aggressive bone in his body but he was so impulsive he couldn't help it. Ace hadn't looked Murdoc in the eye since he entered the room so he made sure to speak to him alone at the first opportunity he got. When he asked to speak with him, Ace looked positively terrified. 

Murdoc went to sit on the sofa, tapping the seat next to him indicating that Ace should sit down. "Look Ace, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to invade your privacy or anything, I was just worried, ya know?"  
Ace nodded quickly looking down at his hands. He knew he must've looked incredibly guilty but Murdoc didn't seem to suspect anything. He wished that Stu would come back already.

In about 30 seconds, 2D emerged into the main area of the cave (with his jeans on) and looked around to see what everyone was up to. Being informed that no one like Cheetos, he gladly ate them and counted it as breakfast before sitting down to join in with some random chatter.

He was integrating with the pack very well and if it weren't for his healthy skin tone, he could easily have been mistaken for a vampire with how chill everyone was with him.

Murdoc greeted the younger with a smile before noticing Frank and Gee making out on the sofa. "Oi, lovebirds! Make yourselves useful and get us somethin to eat will ya?" the two stuck their tongues out at their primus before leaving the cave. It was just the primus, Ace and Stu sat on the sofa, with the others happily going about their normal idiocy. Ace still looked incredibly guilty and Murdoc was getting concerned. "Are you sure you're alright? You look terrible."   
The other simply nodded before looking away.

2D looked down at the ring Ace had given him on his finger and slowly covered it with his other hand. Looking up again, he saw that Murdoc was right. Ace didn't look like his usual self and it was worrying the hunter as well.

"Yew wanna take a walk?" he asked wondering if a relaxing stroll would loosen the vampire's tongue.

Ace went still, considering his options. Eventually, he nodded getting up and standing beside the human. He would normally hold his hand but considering the previous days' events, he didn't think it would be appropriate. Murdoc stayed where he was, silently thanking Stu for caring about his brother and wishing Ace would trust him more.

Ace took Stu through the kitchen, back to the open outside area before sitting down and offering the human a seat also.

2D caught Murdoc's eye and gave a small nod before following the younger vampire into the kitchen. They had a good time together the night before, why was he so down? He took a seat next to him and cleared his throat before talking in a hushed tone. 

"Come on, mate. Talk to me~"

Ace sighed. "I kissed you 'D. You're my brother's boyfriend and I kissed you. The worst thing is that you didn't want it; you didn't ask for any of this. You love Murdoc and I know I need to get over this but I can't. I love you 'D and I can't have you because you're his. It hurts so much." His voice was strangely emotionless. He was done with the sadness and crying, he just felt empty. He looked into Stu's eyes, scared of what he'd see.

Ohhhhh shit. What with him and Murdoc talking about marriage and children earlier this made 2D feel terrible. He wasn't going to breathe a /word/ to Ace about any of it and prayed Murdoc would do the same. Ace was in a fragile state of mind and the last thing he needed was more sorrow.

2D didn't quite know what to say and quickly moved his hand to hide the marks on his neck, not wanting Ace to see them. "Fuck, I...Ace, yew 'ave to tell Murdoc. He is yewr brother after all." The hunter put his free arm around him and held him close. "He deserves to know 'ow yew feel."

It was difficult not to notice the bruises that covered almost the entirety of Stuart's neck. He knew Murdoc had to find out but he certainly didn't want to be the one to tell him. He doubted his brother would react badly towards him, but he knew how much it would upset him. "I think he'd take it better from you. He loves you, Stuart. I see it in his eyes every time he looks at you. You deserve each other, Stu and I'm sorry." He got up heading towards the entrance of the cave.

Before Ace could properly leave, 2D stood up and stroke after him, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him into a tight hug. "Don' apologise for somethin' yew can' 'elp," he said holding the hug. Now he was in a huge predicament. If he and Murdoc got married, it would upset Ace. If he didn't, it would upset Murdoc...

He hugged Stu one last time before leaving the cave. "Bye Stuart." He assumed his bat form and soared over London. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he needed to get out.

2D stared back at him in horror of what Ace was saying. He was leaving?? No! He couldn't! "Ace, wait! Y-Yew can' go!?" he cried, helpless to do anything as he transformed and took off into the night. 

Not wasting any time, he ran back into the living quarters straight to Murdoc. "He's gone!" he told him, his voice starting to crack as his eyes welled up. "Ace 'as left!"

He held the crying human close, shushing him gently. "Ace probably just needs some space. He'll probably just fly around for a few hours and he'll come right back, ok?" He worried for his brother and hoped that he did just need space. He neglected to tell Stuart that either way, the only way they could track him was for Ace to call. He looked down at the younger, "do you know why he left?"

2D bit his lip as he looked back at Murdoc, knowing he had to tell him the truth. "H-He left because he LOVES me! My best friend!!" He broke down in Murdoc's arms, devastated that his BFF was gone for God knows how long. "He couldn't tell yew 'imself. He left because he can't 'ave me!"

Murdoc stood in shocked silence. He wasn't angry at all, he was just upset that his brother hadn't had the confidence to talk to him about this. With each sentence, Murdoc became more and more unsure as to if Ace would return. Just tonight, he'd been discussing the possibility of marriage and children with the man he loved but now he was unsure as to if Stuart still felt the same way. "Do you...." Murdoc took a breath, trying to compose himself, "do you love him?"

Wiping his eyes, the human looked into Murdoc's eyes before bowing his head. "I love 'im as a close friend. I-I tried tellin' 'im tha' I was sorry an' I didn't feel the same way..." He cupped Murdoc's face desperately, searching his eyes for an answer. "He's comin' back, righ'? /Tell/ me he's comin' back!"

Tears began to stream down Murdoc's face. Silently, they fell onto the floor on the cave. "I don't know, Stu. I don't know." He sat on the floor, completely defeated. His brother was gone and he might not come back. There was no way to track him. They just had to trust in Ace.

2D pulled Murdoc into a strong hug, trying to console him despite his own upset. "Where will he stay? Wot will he do when the sun comes up?" These scary thoughts raced around his mind like a whirlpool, making him more anxious by the second. "I-I'll go an' look for 'im. He can't 'ave gone far..." The hunter was thinking irrationally, now. If he left the cave, he would either be caught, killed by wildlife or assassinated by another hunter as he was a wanted man now. Plus, there was no way he could track Ace.

Murdoc was getting increasingly anxious but he had to stay strong. Panicking wasn't going to save Ace. He took a deep breath and looked at Stu. "Look, I'm sure that Ace will be fine. We'll wait an hour and then I'll go and look for him. I think I have a pretty good idea of where he might be anyway." He stroked the younger's cheek, calming them both. "It's gonna be ok. Ace is gonna be ok."

2D hung onto Murdoc's every word and made himself believe him. Worrying would do nothing, he had to be calm and level headed. He couldn't help but wonder where Ace had gone off to and how he would avoid detection.

He stood up, offering his hand to Stuart. "What would you like to do while we wait? You can't sit here caught in your thoughts or you'll do something you'll regret." He was unsure as to whether he was comforting Stu or himself at this point. He was terrified for Ace but the lad knew what he was doing. He knew exactly how to conceal himself, to avoid hunters and protect himself from daylight. The thought gave Murdoc a little bit of peace.

He took his hand and sighed as he stood up, his mind still on Ace. "I dunno. Anyfin', I s'pose..." If he knew where Ace was, it wouldn't be so bad but because they had no clue, that was the big worry. "Wot do yew feel like doin'?"

Murdoc sighed. He felt like searching for Ace, but they couldn't. Not yet. He felt like doing anything enjoyable would somehow disrespect Ace. "let's just... sit on the sofa or somethin'. He looked at Stuart. "Where'd you get the ring?"

The hunter looked down at the bronze ring and took it off of his finger to show to him. He was hesitant to say who it was from, but Murdoc had asked. "Ace gave it to me."

Murdoc knew exactly where the ring was from, seeing as he was the one who gave it to him in the first place. He was grateful that Stuart didn't lie, but he never really expected him to. "He really does love you, doesn't he?" He was still unsure as to how the entire situation was making him feel. He loved them both with all his heart, in very different ways. He feared there may come a day where he is forced to choose between them.

The hunter clenched the ring in his fist and hung his head. "The last thing I wanna do is come between yew both...An' I'm scared tha' migh' 'appen." He took a knife from his belt and idly started to play with it, throwing it up in the air and always catching it by the hilt, showing his mastery with a blade.

He marvelled at Stuart's talents. Ace had always been very skilled with knives and knew every trick in the book. He'd tried to teach Murdoc a couple of times but he could never distribute the weight well enough. "Stuart, I love you both with my entire heart and nothing could stop me loving either of you. Trust me, love."

"I'm jus' sayin'. He's yewr /brother/ an' I'm jus' a simple human who wandered into yewr lives." He sighed and ran his index finger gently across the blade, not even flinching when he drew blood. "Ace /needs/ yew, Murdoc. I'm gettin' in the way o' tha''.

"You've known Ace for what? Just over four weeks now? And he already trusts you more than he trusts me. He speaks to you, Stuart! Before you came, he'd hide in his room all day, only coming out for food. If you don't believe that I need you, believe that he does." He looked into his lap. He wanted nothing more than to lick the blood from his wound but now wasn't the time.

2D could tell Murdoc was tempted by his blood and held his finger out to him. If he accepted, this would be the first time Murdoc had ever tasted him!  
"I've jus' made things worse! Maybe it would've been better if yew jus' killed me when we met."

Murdoc took his hand, intrigued and excited by the silent offer. He gently licked the wound, his spit sealing it. It worked out well for both of them, Stuart was healed and Murdoc was sated. It tasted incredible but he didn't have much time to enjoy it. "Stuart, you made things so much better. The boys are so much happier, Ace confides in you and I love you more than you'll ever know. Everyone loves you and needs you in their own way. Don't ever doubt that."

He giggled as it tickled when Murdoc licked his finger. He leaned his head against his lover's shoulder, putting his arm around him. "Sweet o' yew to say tha'." He looked at the other vampires and sighed. "I 'ope he's ok..."

Murdoc looked back at him, a sad smile on his face. "I do too, love. I do too."


	13. Keeping his distance

(Hi lovelies, it's Bex. I just wanted to let you know that from the end of this chapter onwards, there might be some pretty heavy themes and a focus on suicide. I don't want to trigger any of you so please keep that in mind. Keep yourselves safe and happy holidays by the way!)

He was gently stroking over the human's hand when he heard a sound come from the cave entrance. He looked at Stu, excited for his brother's return as he practically ran towards the entrance. He wrapped his arms around the young vampire, holding him tight. "I'm so sorry, Ace. I love you so much, please don't leave again."

2D stayed right where he was, letting the two brothers embrace. He was just massively relieved that Ace had returned after leaving in such a dramatic way.

Ace cried into his brother's shoulder. "I'm so sorry Mudz. I kissed him. He didn't want it, I swear, it was all my fault." He held on tight to the primus, grateful for his concern.  
Murdoc shook his head, holding his face "Ace, it doesn't matter now. I'm just glad you're home. Stu's in the living room, we both missed you so much.

Ace nodded before entering the room, looking down on the human sat on the sofa. "Hi, Stu."

When Ace walked over to him, 2D stood up and frowned at him. "Hi?' Yew took off wivou' sayin' anythin', we've been worried sick! I didn't know if yew were gonna come back or anythin'!" He was annoyed but was quick to pull him into a firm cuddle, relieved he had returned.

He looked down, ashamed. "I'm so sorry, I really am. I just needed to think about... everything." He held the other tight, knowing everything was going to be alright.

2D gave a deep sigh, his annoyance melting away as he hugged him. "At least yew're safe..." He would keep a closer eye on Ace in the future.

Ace felt safe in Stuart's arms like he could stay enclosed in his embrace for all of eternity. After a little while, he spoke up, "So, what do we do now?"

2D finally let him go and smiled, no longer cross with him. "Yew know, I think we should do wot /yew/ wanna do. Poker, chess, film, I don' mind." 2D wanted Ace to feel included in the pack and thought it would be nice if he decided what they did for a change.

Ace thought about it. He had no idea what they should do. "Can we just.... cuddle?" He was still feeling quite shaken and he knew the perfect way to calm down was to hold his favourite people.

2D glanced at Murdoc hoping he wouldn't mind and took Ace's hand, leading them to his room for a bit of privacy. Once inside, he opened his arms and embraced him, his heartbeat steady and gentle in his chest.

Murdoc would have loved nothing more than to join them, but he knew they needed this alone. The back of his mind screamed at him for leaving his lover alone with Ace but he quickly silenced it. He trusted Ace and he wanted him to know that. He very quickly got bored and went to find Frank and Gee for a bit of company.

Ace was completely at ease. His head was rested against Stuart's chest while their limbs entangled. The feeling of Stuart's lungs filling and deflating lulling him into an almost sleep-like state. He was happier than he'd ever been.

2D wondered if he should say anything as they simply stood there hugging but the sound of his lungs and heart seemed to be all Ace needed to relax. After a while, he finally spoke resting his chin on the top of Ace's head. "Yew know yew can always come to me when yew need to, don' yew?"

He nodded into his chest, before looking up at him. He didn't move his hands from his waist, just wanting to be as close to him as possible. He nuzzled into Stuart's throat, revelling in the calming mix of Stuart and Murdoc's scents that gathered there.

2D smiled down at him, his cheeks blushing bright pink. "Good~" When Ace nuzzled into his throat, the hunter's eyes widened a bit and his cheeks reddened. That was quite a strong move to make and he wasn't sure Murdoc would have been too happy if he'd seen him do it.

He felt Stuart tense slightly so he backed off. "Are you ok?" He looked into the other's eyes, noticing his blushed cheeks. He couldn't help but blush also, nervous beneath his gaze.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine!" he said quickly, clearing his throat as he tried to think of an excuse. "My neck's a bit tender, tha's all." Although Ace couldn't have 2D, he was still making subtle advances that the hunter wasn't sure how to handle, especially now that he and Murdoc had a wedding to plan.

Ace couldn't blame him. The copious amount of bruises and marks on his neck were bound to cause him some discomfort. He couldn't help but think about if it was him who made those marks. He let himself sink into that train of thought before catching himself and moving his face away from his throat. At some point, his fangs had made their presence known. Ace backed off, his fangs retreating once more. Stuart isn't yours. He smiled at the younger. "Thank you, I needed this." He needed to get out of this room as soon as possible.

"Heh, no problem," he said with a small, awkward chuckle before letting Ace go and patting his shoulder before heading out of the room. It was still difficult. He wanted Ace to be happy but he couldn't overstep his loyalty to Murdoc.

Ace left for his room, reprimanding his mind for its stupidity. He doesn't want you. He couldn't care less about you. He grabbed one of the blades from his collection. He rested it on his index finger, appreciating how perfectly it balanced. He spun it around in his hands, before throwing it up. He had practised all his life, able to catch and flip without thought. That's why it surprised him so much when the blade came down into his hand, slicing the skin. Thick, black liquid oozed out of the wound as he inspected it carefully. Shit. He got the small first aid kit out of the bathroom and sewed it up before carefully dressing it. Why did Stuart affect him so much?

The only compromise 2D could see was if they 'shared' him but would that work? He knew how possessive vampires could be and the last thing they needed was a fight. He sat down on the sofa and sighed, watching the others.

Murdoc was quick to approach him. "You're looking a bit shaken, are you alright, love?" He sat down beside him, concerned for the other. He leaned in close to kiss the other before a strong scent made itself known. He leaned in close to his neck, sniffing as inconspicuously as possible. He could smell his own and Stuart's scents but there was something else mixed in with it. Ace. He leaned back, looking for some sort of answer within his face. It was one thing to kiss his lover, but to scent him? That crossed a line.

2D's face as starting to burn again when Murdoc leaned in to sniff his neck like a scent hound, not pushing him away or trying to disguise it. Ace's infatuation with the hunter was starting to get out of hand and 2D feared his thoughts had come true when Murdoc gave him a questioning look wanting an answer. Would they fight over him?

"I know wot yew're gonna say..." he said quietly, lowering his head in shame even though this wasn't his fault. He had hugged Ace many times before and this had never happened. "He jus' wanted a cuddle an' before I knew wot was 'appenin', he 'ad 'is face in my neck!"

Murdoc sighed. What was he meant to do? "I think... you two need some time apart. I know he's your friend but you can't keep torturing each other like this!" Murdoc was not, by nature, a jealous person but scenting his boyfriend crossed so many lines. He loved his brother but this was wrong. He felt like he was being excluded from his own relationship and frankly, he couldn't cope with it anymore.

Supervision sounded like a reasonable way to handle this for the moment and 2D agreed, nodding his head. He couldn't help but feel bad for Ace. The poor guy was lonely and wanted more than friendship but the hunter couldn't give that to him. Sometimes, you had to be cruel to be kind.

"Wot if he catches me when I'm by myself? Wot should I do?" he asked chewing his lower lip apprehensively.

Murdoc was glad that Stuart understood. This wasn't going to be easy for any of them but it was worth it. He held him tight "Then it won't be your fault, but I hope you will both know better than to go against direct orders from the primus." Just this morning, they'd been discussing marriage and now they had to consider whether this was the right time. Murdoc was disappointed but it didn't matter, they had all of eternity together. "I'm so sorry, darlin'."

2D embraced him tightly, upset but understanding that it had to be done. "I'd never disobey yew, Murdoc," he promised and he truly meant it. "Maybe yew an' I gettin' married sooner rather than later would force 'im to back off? I don' know..." He sighed and rested his head on his shoulder, looking glum. "No, no, I understand. He 'as to learn tha' I'm no' available."

He chuckled slightly at his lover's comment. "Is this your idea of a proposal, my love?" He rested his chin upon the other's head and gently stroked his back. Stuart didn't deserve any of this. He deserved so much better.

Since he had strayed from the path of vampire hunting, Stuart wasn't sure exactly /how/ vampires proposed. They hadn't covered it at the academy because it was 'unessential to hunting'. So, he tried the only way he knew how. He gently let go of Murdoc and got down on one knee, taking his hand in his own. In a way, he hoped that Ace was watching somewhere so that he would get the hint and back off himself.

"Tha' would be a pretty pathetic way to propose, wouldn't it?" he chuckled before looking up at him with a smile. "Murdoc Nicalls. Will yew marry me?"

Murdoc was completely stunned; he hadn't expected that at all. He looked down into the other's eyes before nodding vigorously "yes! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!" He dropped to his knees before the other, holding him tight. He kissed the other, hard, trying to avoid crying. "I love you so much, Stu. I hope you know that."

2D knew how much Murdoc loved him but he was still surprised when he accepted his proposal and put his hands over his mouth in shock before throwing his arms around him as they shared a passionate kiss.  
"I love yew too, my King~"

Those two simple words did unspeakable things to Murdoc. As if his ego needed any more of a boost. He kissed Stuart back with equal vigour, his hands snaking around his waist. The hard floor was terrible on his knees so, much to his disappointment, he had to get up. He sat on the sofa, patting his lap, indicating for Stu to sit.

Stuart wanted to treat Murdoc like a King, too. Not just because he was the Primus, but he was his world, his everything. Nothing else mattered. Grinning, he eagerly straddled Murdoc's lap not giving a damn if anyone looked and cupped his face to kiss him again.

Murdoc grinned into the kiss, thoroughly enjoying the human on his lap. For such a tall lad, Stuart weighed so little. It was so easy to move him and adjust him. Murdoc was well aware of how close Stu was to sitting on his cock, but he was also well aware of the lads in the next room who could come in at any moment. He pulled away a tiny bit so he could speak. "Would you like to take this to the bedroom or stay here?"

2D giggled, giving it some thought. Usually, he was a very private person but on this occasion, he wanted the world to know. "Let 'em look~" he purred, his hands wandering up under Murdoc's shirt to feel his chest.

Murdoc was certainly surprised by his answer, but in no way displeased. His mouth immediately went to his neck, leaving plenty of hickeys to claim his territory. He rubbed his face against the soft skin, revelling in Stuart's sweet scent. He placed his hands on his waist, carefully picking him up to bring him forward slightly. He leaned back into the sofa, absentmindedly rubbing his hands down his sides and cradling his hips while Stu sat so prettily over his dick.

This is what Ace needed to see. Words were not going to be enough to get through to him. 2D blocked out his surroundings focusing only on his fiance as they kissed, The world could have been crumbling around them and the hunter wouldn't have cared. "Fuck, I love yew so much..." he moaned, tilting his head back to let Murdoc kiss and nip his neck, reclaiming what was his.

Murdoc groaned into his mouth. "I love you too, babe. I love you so much." He could listen to his moans all day. He gently palmed Stuart through his pants, his other arm keeping him steady. "Sing for me, bluebird." He removed his shirt with relative ease and sucked on his shoulder, leaving bright purple marks.

The palming really got 2D moaning, his beautiful voice filling the living room. There he was, half-naked on Murdoc's lap accepting love bites to his shoulder willingly with his eyes half-closed. He started to moan even louder at Murdoc's request, gripping his shoulders tight.

2D groaned heavily and fell forwards, his hand landing near Murdoc's head as he steadied himself on the sofa. "I-It's no' even our honeymoon!" he panted with a weak laugh, already very close to climaxing.

Murdoc chuckled, "This isn't even close to what you'll get on our honeymoon, baby." He held onto 2D's hips, helping him comfortably lean forward so that their chests were touching. He brought him as close as possible, holding his hand as he carefully ground his incredibly hard dick into Stuart's.

So far, they had only had 'clothed' sex' if you could even call it that but it was still enough to get 2D off and make him cum. "Uuurghhh!!" Well, that was another undergarment ruined. He laid against Murdoc's chest as he caught his breath, panting like he'd run a marathon.

Murdoc petted his hair lightly, letting him come down peacefully. He didn't get off but he didn't care, he just wanted to hold Stuart tight, proud to be the one who made him cum. He looked outstandingly beautiful, as he lay there on his chest. Murdoc was so lucky to have him and he knew it. He couldn't get over the fact that this amazing creature wanted to marry him off all people! "I love you so much, bluebird."

2D smiled weakly, slowly opening his eyes as Murdoc spoke to him. "I love yew more~" It soon occurred to Stuart that once he and Murdoc were married, he would become Ace's brother in law. That suited him as he looked on him like a brother but because they were not related by blood, if he tried anything with the hunter, it wouldn't count as incest. 

He grinned at the tired human, drawing small shapes on his arm (mostly hearts). His warmth and weight made Murdoc feel safe like nothing could hurt him if he had Stu by his side. "You look tired, do you wanna go to bed, love? We need to get you out of those pants or you'll end up gross."

"Oh, yeah...Yeah..." he answered in a dream-like daze, crawling off of Murdoc's lap and falling onto the floor with a dull thud. He got up quickly and started to make his way to the bathroom. "Need to wash my balls again~"

Murdoc tried his best to catch him on the way down but failed miserably. Luckily, he didn't seem to have hurt himself, because he got up right away. He had walked off before Murdoc could even tell him that the bathroom was in the complete opposite direction. The poor lad wasn't doing well today,

He soon realised his mistake and pointed in the correct direction with a snort, his cheeks burning. "I knew tha', jus' stretchin' my legs!" he smiled awkwardly.

Murdoc sat on the sofa, thinking about how much he loved the lad. He'd never met anyone like him in his entire life, despite his constant need to be away from his coven. He sat like that, completely lost in thought until he returned. He was so lucky.

2D wasn't gone too long and was soon flopped on the sofa with his head in Murdoc's lap. "Hey there~" he purred with a smirk.

Murdoc giggled at his fiancé's antics. How could someone be so unbelievably cute? He slowly stroked over his cheek, wondering how the hell his skin came to be so soft. "Hiya, love." He leaned down slightly to kiss the other, enjoying the domesticity of it all.

2D kissed him back before turning his head to yawn. "Fuck, I've come over tired..." The excitement of someone seeing them couple with their making out had given him quite a thrill, to say the least.

"I can't blame you. You practically passed out on my lap earlier, bluebird. We should get some sleep." Despite his words, he continued to kiss Stuart, just enjoying his lips.

2D tried to get up but was forced back down by Murdoc's continued kissing, making him giggle against his lips. It was so cute when he had a giggling fit. His cheeks would turn rose red from laughing and that little glint would appear in his eyes.

Murdoc moved so that Stuart was laid out under him. His giggles were by far the cutest sound he'd ever heard. He continued to nuzzle and kiss at whatever he could reach, laughing along with him. "C'mon love, we better get to bed." Before Stuart could react, he'd picked him up from the sofa and was carrying him to their room.

Being a grown man, the hunter wasn't used to being picked up like a child and made an adorable squeak of confusion when he suddenly found himself in Murdoc's arms. He cuddled him as the vampire carried him back to his room, resting his head on his shoulder.

Murdoc looked down at the beautiful human in his arms. His human. He gently placed him down onto their bed before straddling him and attacking him with all the kisses he deserved.

Meanwhile, Ace sat in his room. He wept softly as blood continued to flow from his hands. He had heard their conversation and a lot more. He'd heard the impromptu proposal, he knew he couldn't speak to Stuart and the worst of all was listening to them kiss and appreciate each other. He'd heard Stuart's beautiful moans as he came and only left when Stu announced that he needed a shower. He was completely broken, and not even the silver of Stuart's blade could make him feel.

What was done was done. The two friends were forbidden from seeing each other unless Murdoc was present and to top it all, they were going to get married to seal their bond forever. Ace would either sink or swim and in his current situation, it looked like he was drowning. Would Ace end his life over 2D being happy?

Completely oblivious, 2D laughed as Murdoc kissed him, pecking ones back when and where he could.

Murdoc placed kisses all over his face and neck, showering him with love. After a few glorious minutes of cuddles and kisses hidden away from the world, he pulled away. "Stay here, I need to show you something." He went over to his wardrobe, pulling out a small box from the corner. He approached Stu, kneeling before him. "Let's do this properly, shall we?" He revealed a golden necklace, decorated with a single diamond at the centre. "So, I think I can guess the answer, but will you marry me?"

2D sat up curiously on the edge of the bed when Murdoc got up to get something. His eyes widened in awe when he saw the necklace and the sparkling diamond in the middle. "Ohhh...!" he gasped covering his mouth with his hands before looking down at Murdoc, nodding frantically. "I will!" Right in front of him was a golden treasure, the other a beautiful necklace.

He held Stuart tight, showing him all the love he had. He was glad that Stuart liked the necklace, but it was nothing compared to the knowledge that they were to be married. He cupped his face before kissing him sweetly. "Can I put it on, love?"

He kissed him back and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. He then looked down at the necklace, the gold reflecting in his onyx eyes. 2D didn't feel worthy to wear it but it was a pre-wedding present from the Primus, no less. That was like refusing a medal from the Queen! "Oh, yes, please. God, it's gorgeous~"

"We don't do engagement rings 'cause they're mostly made of silver. I hope this is ok instead." Murdoc smiled, putting it around his lover's neck. "It suits you so well, love. You look so beautiful." He resumed his position above his lover, holding him close before gently pecking his lips.

Ace sat alone, soaked in blood and close to passing out. He laid down, closing his eyes. He was entirely giving up when Dom entered the room, about to ask if he wanted to watch a movie. He rushed over to Ace, screaming for Lydia. He tried to stop the blood flowing but there were so many cuts. He flung open his drawers, grabbing t-shirts or anything that could stop the bleeding. He could easily see the cuts were made by silver due to the burn-like scars already forming around each wound. Luckily, Lydia was quick to run in and assist, trying to keep Ace conscious while they worked to keep him alive.

"Baby, it's stunnin'." he smiled, the necklace glimmering against his pale white skin along with the precious diamond. He hugged Murdoc to him when he was over him again, his ears suddenly pricking up at Dom's muffled scream. 2D froze and looked at Murdoc. "Wot the fuck was tha'?!"

Murdoc went silent trying to listen. "That sounded like Dom. It definitely came from someone's room but I don't know which one. Either someone's hurt, or having extreme sex, do you wanna hope it's the latter or go check?"

2D looked worried. He knew his screams and that was one of horror if he ever heard one. "Somefin's wrong!" he squeaked wriggling out from underneath Murdoc and hurrying to the door, opening it and sticking his head out. Had the hunters come back? "Stay 'ere!" he told Murdoc sternly before leaving the room to see what was going on.

Murdoc couldn't help but wonder why Stu had insisted he stay so firmly. If Stuart was gonna run the place one day, he'd need to know Murdoc trusted him, so he stayed put. He sat on the bed, getting increasingly anxious but knew that Stu would call if he was needed.

Murdoc was the Primus and love of his life, he could NOT be put at risk for even a second. After a little while, he returned looking extremely shaken with his hand over his mouth. The colour had completely drained from his face and his eyes had gone pearl white.  
He couldn't let Murdoc see his brother like this. "St-Stay in 'ere wiv' me..." he said quickly, his voice wavering as he hurried over to him and sat beside him holding his hands firmly in his own. "It's Ace. He's...He's tried to kill 'imself."

Murdoc was sat up in bed picking at his nails when Stuart entered. He looked up at his lover, offering a smile before seeing his face. He held him close, wondering what the hell had happened. Before he could ask anything, he heard two words that made his stomach fall, 'it's Ace.' He looked at Stu, his eyes wide. Before he could think, he was running for the door. His brother needed him.

"Murdoc no!" he cried bolting after him and grabbing his arm, trying in vain to hold him back. It was useless as Murdoc had his vampiric strength but Stuart wanted to spare him the horrific scene. "Please, I'm beggin' yew! Lydia and Dom are seein' to 'im!"

"I need to help! I need to save him! He needs me, Stu!" He broke down into incoherent sobs. He squeezed Stuart tight, hoping that he'd laugh and say he was lying all along. "Is he..." he had to take a breath, trying to form the question aloud without completely breaking. "Is he dead?"

Stuart was quick to answer his question and end some of his suffering. "No, love. He's jus' hurt." he held Murdoc close to him, stroking his hair and back to try to comfort him. "He's gonna be ok, ok?"

He looked up at his fiancé, the genuine fear in his eyes still present. "I need to see him, Stu. I know I shouldn't but I need to be with my little brother." He kissed his nose, still crying silently.

As much as he wanted to protect him from such a sight, 2D couldn't find it in his heart to stop Murdoc from seeing Ace. Without saying anything, 2D kept an arm around Murdoc and opened the door to lead him to his brother. He pushed open Ace's bedroom door and lead Murdoc inside, respecting his wish to see him.

The room was chaotic, to say the least. Dom was trying his best to seal the wounds while Lydia kept checking his breathing and pulse, while also trying desperately to keep him awake. Murdoc approached, holding his hand before noticing the blood on his own. The skin looked like the result of an insanely bad allergic reaction or a terrible burn. The cuts were made by silver but where would he get any? He looked up at the two and exited the room.

He practically ran into the kitchen before dropping to his knees before Frank. "It's Ace, he's tried to kill himself with something made of silver. I need you to get Noodle, ok? She's the only one who can heal him. Please, Frank."

Fuck. Of all knives, WHY did 2D give him one made of silver?? What an idiot! He remained silent and stood out of the way as the clan saw to their youngest member. He would own up to his mistake of gifting him the knife when the time was right. 

Frank was having a smoke when he saw Murdoc rush in and fall to his knees. "He's WHAT?!" he shouted tossing his fag aside like a piece of rubbish, quickly squatting down to look at Murdoc with his hands on his shoulders. "Noodle, right. Where is she?"

Murdoc sighed. "She's the healer of your old coven, you know where it is obviously. Please hurry." Murdoc stood up, before immediately being tackled by Gee. He accepted the hug with open arms as he cried into his shoulder. 

Gee made him feel like he didn't have to be strong and that was a lovely feeling. As soon as Gerard first entered the cave, he practically adopted everyone, making sure everyone was clean and ate decently enough. Out of everyone he bettered, however, Frank was always the most noticeable. Before he arrived, Frank was angry and sad practically all of the time. He'd never really had a family until he joined their coven, but when Gee arrived, he found someone to care for him and love him, despite everything he'd been through.

Frank stood up and ran out of the cave, transforming into a bat and flapping off into the distance. He soon located his old coven and landed not so gracefully on the ground before turning back into his humanoid form. "Noodle! Noodle are you there? It's Frank!"

The vampire who exited the cave, however, was not Noodle, but their primus. He looked over Frank, the pure shock evident on his face. "I never thought I'd see you again. We thought you were dead." He stroked the younger's face with his thumb as if confirming he was really there. "Why did you come home, my son?"

Frank looked just as stunned to see his father and stood still as the other touched his face. "I can't stay or go into too much detail but I need to 'borrow' Noodle for a short while. Please, it's a matter of life and death!"

The primus was hurt that he was leaving so soon but knew that his son needed his help. "Of course," he called for her in their native tongue. She was by his side within seconds, bowing to the young vampire. Noodle herself was extremely young, for a vampire at least, but she did indeed wear the clothing of a healer. Much had changed since Frank left.

If it wasn't for the current situation, Frank would have stayed longer to spend some time with his old man but Ace's life was on the line. "I'll come and visit you soon, Dad. Shit's hit the fan back home." he turned to Noodle and gave a nod of thanks before turning into a bat and taking to the skies, squeaking at her to follow him.

Noodle transformed with ease, following him with both speed, and grace. She matched his speed easily, gliding alongside him. The situation was certainly strange but it was her job to heal, so that's what she'd do. They got to the cave entrance impressively quickly. With a final transformation, she was stood outside the entrance, in her human form, waiting for Frank.

Seconds behind her, Franks changed back to his human form and ushered her inside. "Thanks for coming, there's no one else who can heal him!" Frank lead Noodle to Ace's room and stepped inside so she could see the casualty. He squinted at Ace's injuries and frowned. "Is that...Silver? Where the fuck did he get silver from??"

Stuart was standing in the corner and remained silent. He had never seen a healer vampire before so this would be interesting.

She looked over Ace's injuries, silently nodding towards Frank. If he was a human, he'd have been dead and gone by now but for a vampire, the blood loss had only weakened him. If anything, it would be the silver that killed him. "You did well sealing the wounds, perhaps you could do my job one day." She worked quickly, mixing up small leaves and liquids she had in the small bag that was around her shoulder. He applied the resulting mixture onto each wound, the inflammation going down almost immediately. "This is not a permanent cure, I need to see whatever inflicted the injuries."

Well, fuck. Fearing his goose was cooked, Stuart was certain they could recognise the dagger as one of his and chew him out for being so stupid. Better to own up now than be silent and lie. After some searching, Stuart found the silver dagger and held it up for all to see, black blood dripping from the blade.

"This is it..." he said quietly, feeling very small in their eyes as he looked at the floor, guilt all over his face.

Frank was dumbstruck. That was a hunter's blade and there was only one hunter in the coven. He looked to Stu hoping for an answer but that wasn't the biggest priority right now.

Noodle carefully took the blade by the handle, thanking the human. She carefully wiped the blood off before examining it. Once satisfied, she mixed two vials from her bag, gently tipping the concoction down Ace's throat. "You'll need to make sure the ointment is applied daily and let me know if you notice anything strange. He should be absolutely fine physically, but keep an eye out for him. Something tells me not all his scars are on the outside."

Stuart slid his back down the wall and buried his head in his hands, drawing his knees up to his chest. He was so fucked, he contemplated running away but that would be cowardly. What would Murdoc say when he found out?!  
He wasn't hearing what Noodle was saying but her last words were disturbing, to say the least...

Noodle looked up from her patient, noticing the boy who looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack. She held his hand, getting him to look her in the eyes. "Your friend will be ok. May I talk to you outside for just a minute? Alone?" Her voice was kind, calm and soothing and she spoke with a slight accent. Everything about her seemed so beautifully calculated.

He looked up quickly when he felt something hold his hand and saw that it was Noodle. "O-O course, Miss..." he answered meekly, getting uneasily to his feet and trudging out of the room like a prisoner on death row. He was trembling, unsure of how much trouble he would be in when they found out it was him who gave Ace the knife.

Noodle smiled softly. "You don't need to worry, I'm not going to bite." She looked up at the terrified human. "It was your knife, wasn't it love?" she paused, waiting for an answer,

Stuart bit his lip as he looked back at her, unable to lie. She was so nice! "It was my knife..." he admitted looking down again, ashamed of himself. "I-I don' know wot I was thinkin', I never though' for one minute he'd do somethin' like this!" He started to pace up and down clenching fistfuls of his hair. "He almos' fuckin' /died/ because o' me, wot am I gonna do?" The hunter stopped to look at her, wringing his hands. "It's the Primus's BROTHER!! He's going to be so angry!"

Noodle gripped his wrist, not hard enough to hurt but hard enough to ground him and bring him back to the present. "None of this is your fault, ok? The blade had nothing to do with his decision. Actually, if he'd done it with something else, he would have risked infection and had his life endangered even more. It was thanks to your incredibly sterile knife that he's not dead. I don't know why you gave him the blade, but I know this was never your intention." 

Stuart was quite a bit taller than her but it didn't make her any less respectable. She flattened his hair slightly, in a motherly fashion. "If you wish, I will tell your primus. I thoroughly doubt he'll be mad, but if he is, I'll be there to talk him down. Is that ok?"

He stopped in his tracks when she grabbed his wrist and looked down at her anxiously from his tall height. It was hard not to be calmed by her voice and general demeanour. "It was a gift. I swear I'll take it away but I promised 'im one o' my blades an'..." he sighed looking at her sadly. "I was so caught up in our friendship, I didn't think properly."

He closed his eyes when she flattened his wild hair which calmed him down a bit more. God, he wished she could stay here..." Would yew mind, Miss? I know I should tell 'im but...Urgh, fuck, I'm such a coward!"

She shook her head, the bangs hanging over her eyes swinging from side to side. "Of course I wouldn't. You're clearly very shaken and need some rest. I think everyone does. For now, let's sit down and ask Frank to make some tea. From what my father told me, my brother was the best in the coven for making tea." She outstretched her arms, offering the boy a hug.

Noodle was Frank's sister? That came as quite a surprise. "Fank yew so much~" he sighed gratefully, opening his arms and embracing her, finally feeling at ease. "I'm Stuart, by the way. Or 2D."

"you're always welcome." Noodle smiled, happy to see that he'd calmed down considerably. "Well, it's lovely to meet you 2D! I'm Noodle, heir to the Iero coven." She bowed low, giggling softly. "C'mon, let's get Frank! I'd love to meet the rest of your pack."

"Oh, the pleasure's all mine, Miss Noodle!" he beamed kissing her hand respectfully. "Everyone's lovely, 'ere, I'm sure they'll make yew feel welcome." Figuring she should see the Primus first, 2D held out his arm for her to hold and escorted her into the kitchen where Murdoc was. "Dearest? This is Noodle. She's done a grand job wiv' Ace."

Murdoc had heard a lot about Noodle and her incredible gift for healing but they'd never met. He ran up to her before embracing her in a big hug. "Thank you so much for saving my brother. Truly, we are all indebted to you." He finally let go, kneeling before her, and kissing her hand. 

While Murdoc was practically crying at Noodle's feet, Frank was lost in thought. It was so strange going back to his own coven and seeing his dad once again. He sat on one of the chairs, lost in thought until Gerard crawled into his lap. He held him tight, thinking about his family, old and new.

2D stood there smiling as Murdoc thanked Noodle for all she had done before bending down to comfort him. "It's gonna be alrigh', love. He's gonna be ok~" From the ground, he looked up at her and smiled. "Quite right. If there's /anythin'/ we can do to repay yew, jus' say the word."

She flapped her hand slightly. "Oh stop it you two! The only reward I need is knowing that you're brother is ok. Consider it a peace gift from the heir of one coven to another."

That last bit made Murdoc pay complete attention. "Wait, you're the heir of the Iero coven? That means..." he looked over at Frank and Gee curled up together on a seat. "Frank has a sister and he doesn't even know."

2D looked just as surprised, finally getting it when Noodle mentioned her brother made good tea. "...' Ow can he no' know?" he whispered looking from Murdoc to Noodle. 

Noodle answered. "Frank left when he was a teenager and he hasn't seen any of his family since then. I can't blame him, my father was not always the most understanding. He abandoned his position as heir which I inherited. I was born way after he left." she sighed softly but quickly changed her tune. "So is he his mate?" she asked, referring to Gerard.

"Blimey...Tha's some pretty 'eavy stuff." murmured the hunter, hanging onto her every word. When she asked about his mate, 2D nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah. They're inseparable. He's the Jack to Gee's Sally, if yew know wot I mean. Yew'll rarely catch 'im on 'is own wivou' Gee."

Noodle smiled at the two. They were still in their seat, Gerard rested his head on his shoulder while he stroked his arm. They were so cute together. "Should we... should we tell him? I want him to know but he left my coven for a reason. I don't want to scare him away since we've barely met."

2D looked at Murdoc for his input before looking at Noodle. "The choice is yewrs to make. It could go either way. He migh' like the fact he 'as a sister or it could confuse 'im." He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "If it were me, I'd tell 'im."

She considered before nodding. She wouldn't tell him tonight, he'd been through enough but she would tell him. She placed her hand on Murdoc's, who was still gazing in the direction of Ace's room. "You have an excellent mate here, Murdoc. Be sure to take care of him."

Murdoc turned to the girl before him, smiling as best he could. "Thank you, but trust me, I know." He hugged 2D tight, letting his face hide in that beautiful blue mop of hair. He still smelled of shampoo and faintly of smoke. He smelled like Stuart.

The hunter blushed and turned all bashful when Noodle complimented him, twirling his finger around a lock of his hair and giggling quietly. He let out a surprised squeak when Murdoc practically bear-hugged him and embraced him back. There was still the issue that Murdoc didn't know about the silver blade which was still playing on his mind but while Noodle was there, he gained some confidence.

"I 'ave to tell yew somefin'..." he said letting go of him and taking a deep breath. "The blade tha' Ace used...I...I gave it to 'im." 

Murdoc was completely shocked by his confession. He let go of Stuart, looking into his eyes. Judging by the guilt on his face, he'd never intended to hurt Ace. That didn't make it sting any less. He kept his sadness and anger at bay, allowing Stuart to justify himself. Stu loved Ace as much as he did, so why would he assist his attempt? He took a breath and uttered a single word quietly, not entirely trusting himself to continue. "Why?"

"I swear, I didn't /know/ Ace was gonna do anyfin' like this!" he said quickly holding his hands up in a surrender pose. "I promised 'im one o' my blades if he could beat me in poker an' I-I didn't THINK..." 2D couldn't look at Murdoc, wracked with guilt. "I didn't stop an' think to give 'im a steel or copper blade." He fell to his knees and held his hands together, the golden necklace gleaming on his neck. "I'm so, SO sorry!!"

Murdoc held his hand, pulling him back up to face him. Tears were gatherings in his eyes as he heard the pure emotion in his lover's voice. "None of us knew, Stuart. None of this is your fault, ok? I know you love Ace and I know you would never hurt him. I still love you, ok?"

2D bit his lip as Murdoc spoke to him, becoming emotional himself. "I love Ace like a brother, I'd never lay a finger on 'im..." he whimpered kissing Murdoc's hand over and over. "I-I promise I'll destroy the blade."

He held him tight to his chest, shushing him gently. "I know, Stu. I know." He didn't want him to feel guilty, after all, no one was to blame. He desperately wanted to stay with Ace constantly but he knew it wasn't good for either of them. He just wanted to hug his brother and tell him it was all ok.

Phew, that was a BIG weight off of his chest. He had told the only person who mattered about the situation and thankfully, wasn't scolded or punished. 2D looked at Noodle and gave her a 'thanks for the confidence boost' sort of smile while he comforted his lover. "When can Ace 'ave visitors?"

Noodle smiled at the pair, remembering the feeling of loving and being loved. It had been a long time since she'd felt like that, but she remembered it as clear as day. She snapped out of her trance at the sound of Stuart's voice. "I should hope he'll be waking up soon. I think Ace and I should chat alone before anyone comes in though."

2D bowed his head respectfully. "O' course~" He straightened up and breathed out heavily. "God, after all tha' 'excitement', I need a fag!" He stepped outside and promptly lit one.


	14. A steady recovery

Murdoc followed him, wanting nothing more than to sit and chill for a while. Noodle headed back towards Ace's room, silently opening the door. His eyes were open but he seemed incredibly dazed as a result of the medicine he'd been given. Noodle sat down beside him before quietly introducing herself. She noticed that the more he seemed to wake up, the more miserable he looked until silent tears began to roll down his cheeks.   
"Why didn't you let me die, doc?" The question caught Noodle off guard but she answered with the same soft voice she used for everyone.   
"I'm a healer, Ace. It's my job to give people another chance at life." She gently held his hand before drying his tears. "Everyone was terrified for you, they all love you so much." They spoke for a long while, Noodle finally getting to the root of the problem.  
"The whole pack is desperate to see you, is there anyone you'd like to speak to?" Ace considered before nodding as best he could.   
"Can I talk to Stu?"

Having finished his fag, 2D went into the lounge to sit on the sofa, unaware that Ace wanted to see him. He would need an escort as Murdoc had forbidden them from being alone together unless he was confident this time Ace was too weak to try anything.

Noodle emerged from the room, heading into the living room to find him. She was glad to have found him and quickly approached him. "Hi, Stu. Ace would like to see you if that's ok?"

2D looked at Murdoc for his permission. "I don' think he'll try anythin', he's weak," he said gently touching the side of Murdoc's cheek. "If yew'd rather come along, tha's fine."

Murdoc shook his head. "He wanted to see you, not me. Anything he wants to say, he wants to say to you. I assume Noodle will stay in the room either way, so if you feel uncomfortable, she'll be there." Murdoc nuzzled into his throat, showing his affection while also subconsciously calming him.

The hunter held Murdoc's head there for a few seconds before pecking his cheek and standing up to follow Noodle. "Ok, love. I'm ready."

Noodle nodded, taking his hand and leading him to the room. She took him inside where Ace was sitting up straight, waiting for them. "Hey, Stu." Stuart looked down at him sadly as he laid in bed, shaking his head slightly. "Why, Ace?" he asked sitting down on the edge of his bed, reaching out to gently hold his hand. "Why'd yew do it?"

Ace looked up at him, the sadness clear in his eyes. "I... I heard you and Murdoc before. I can't live without you, Stu." he looked down guiltily, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Yew won', Ace. We'll become closer than we've ever been! I'll be yewr brother in law!" He rubbed his hand gently with his thumb, trying to comfort him. "I'll always be around for yew as a good friend~"

"Yew won', Ace. We'll become closer than we've ever been! I'll be yewr brother in law!" He rubbed his hand gently with his thumb, trying to comfort him. "I'll always be around for yew as a good friend~"

Ace smiled softly. He loved the concept of being able to be with Stuart but he knew he'd never have him the way he wanted. "I know Stu, and I'm so excited but still, I never wanted to just be friends. I'm sorry, love."

He sighed and leaned down to kiss his hand, picking up the silver blade as he did so and slipping it into his belt. Ace's ring was still on his finger. "I'm sorry I can' give yew wot yew want...Yew should rest, now." 2D stood up from the bed and bent down to kiss his forehead and gently hold his cheek before pulling away and giving a small nod to Noodle.

Ace looked up at him. "don't ever be sorry Stuart. Nothing about this is your fault." He was extremely disappointed that Stuart was leaving so quickly but he respected his need for space.

"I'll...I'll stay until yew fall asleep," he said, sitting back down and having a change of heart. He felt bad leaving him alone like this and it was then that he realised his golden necklace was on full show, no matter how much he tried to hide it under his shirt.

"Are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want." He smiled at Stuart. His eyes shifted to the beautiful chain at his neck. "That's a beautiful necklace, Stu. I'm glad you're marrying my brother, I know he'll take care of you." He sank into the pillow, letting his eyes fall shut, still listening.

2D smiled and nodded his head. "I want to. I mean, if yew want me to piss off, I will," he added with a chuckle before blushing at Ace's comment to his necklace. He wasn't quite sure what else to say so he started to sing, very softly to him. It was the tune to 'Once upon a December' from Anastasia. He knew it held no significance, but it was such a pretty song.

Ace tried to stay awake for as long as possible, just to listen to his voice. Unfortunately, with his weakened state, sleep took him quickly. He took a final look at his friend, smiling happily before letting himself fall.

Noodle wiped her eyes subtly. She could tell they'd both been through a lot, and the pure, raw emotion in Stu's voice was enough to make her cry. She thought herself pathetic, she was here to heal, not get distracted

2D carefully stood up and looked down at Ace for a few seconds before turning to leave the room. He didn't understand how he could hurt himself so harshly and it brought the vampire's mental state into question. Was Ace losing it? He didn't know. He went into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich before going into the lounge to see what the others were up to.

Murdoc looked up, smiling cautiously at the younger. He looked ok, but there was no indication of any particular emotion on his face. "Hiya love, how'd it go? Are you alright?"

He nodded taking a bite out of his sandwich. "Yeah, I'm fine. He's sleepin', now." The hunter scratched his chin, troubled by Ace's extreme actions. "We jus' migh' 'ave to keep a closer eye on 'im in future."

The primus nodded, slowly getting up to offer a cuddle. He was still extremely stressed about his brother's condition and slightly disappointed he hadn't got to see him. Right now though, he had his fiancé and that's all he needed.

As if they both had magnets in their chests, 2D was quickly drawn to Murdoc for a hug and held him close. "He'll be alrigh'..." he said quietly, trying to give them both a bit of comfort.

Murdoc nodded into his shoulder, close to tears, which he was quick to hide. He wanted nothing more than to stay here forever and just forget about... everything. He loved Stuart so much.

For the next few days, while Ace healed, 2D was a frequent visitor to his room. He would fetch him things, get him things to eat and just generally be a friend to him. This night wasn't any different. "Ow're yew feelin'?" he asked coming in and sitting down on his bed.

Ace smiled at his friend's arrival. "I'm feeling better actually, thank you." He ate his soup, courtesy of Noodle, and looked over to his friend. "Why do still come and see me every single day?"

"Well, why no'?" he chuckled with a little shrug of his shoulders. "Although I'm sure Noodle is giving you top quality health care and company, I jus' like to know yew're ok."

He chuckled slightly, his side hurting as he did so. "That she is! she's amazing, ya know?" He reached out to pat his hand, not allowing the touch to linger. "Thank you, Stu. For everything."

"Oh, I know she is~" he smiled at the young woman before looking back at Ace. "Yew don' need to fank me for anythin'. Jus' promise me yew won' do anythin' like this again."

Ace looked down. He didn't want to have to make an empty promise. He'd never tell Stu, but his failure only made him feel more worthless. The only times he truly felt emotion were when Stuart arrived each day. He looked into his eyes nodding, lying once again

2D reached out his hand and smiled, squeezing Ace's. His hand was so warm. "Fank yew." The hunter had a good soul but he was naive and too trusting at times.

Ace was quick to change the subject. "How's Mudz and everyone? I miss 'em." He awkwardly shifted slightly, rubbing the thumb and forefinger of his right hand together.

"Oh, they're fine. Murdoc would like to see yew at some point, naturally." He turned to Noodle. "When d'yew fink Ace will be able to move around?"

Ace nodded. In truth, he'd love to see his brother but he was terrified of seeing that look on his face. Murdoc used it all the time when he was a kid, a face of pity and sadness. He never wanted to see his brother upset, never mind make him so.

Noodle looked over at the two. "He should be fine within the week. He's still in quite a bit of pain so we'll start slow. I have some painkillers which you will be completely in control of." After the first day, she'd gone back to her own coven, grabbing some stuff so she could stay with Ace and monitor his health at all times. If her coven needed her, they knew where she was.

It was very handy having Noodle around as she constantly kept an eye on Ace so 2D and Murdoc didn't have to monitor him every second. Of course, the hunter was still a frequent visitor and had started to bring him freshly killed creatures for a snack and to build up his strength.

"Knock, knock!" he chimed before letting himself in and holding up the carcass of what looked like a large rodent. "Got yew a nice rabbit today!" This was a bonus because Ace could drink the blood and 2D could eat the meat so they were both fed.

Ace smiled weakly from his bed. He wasn't feeling too great today but it was probably due to lack of iron. He took the rabbit from him with a nod, biting into the artery in its neck and feeling fresh, hot blood spurt down his throat. The feeling made him sigh happily, leaning back and already feeling stronger. His blood-thirst had been considerably stronger as of late and he couldn't quite figure out why. He eventually put it down to losing so much of his own.

"Thank you for this, Stu. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Don' mention it~" he smiled stretching his lithe body with a grunt. "Anythin' else I can get yew? I fink there migh' be some cupcakes left from las' nigh'."

He felt nauseous at the very thought of human food. "No thanks, I'm fine. Are the guys alright?"

2D nodded with a smile. "They're all good. They miss 'avin' yew around an' 'o course, so does Murdoc." He looked down at Ace and put his hands on his hips like a superhero. "Still, the main fing is, yew're in the righ' place wiv' the righ' person. 'Aint tha' righ', love?" He walked over to Noodle and gave her a cuddle.

The vampires laughed at Stuart's antics, Noodle enjoying the warm cuddle. "I'm only doing my job, D. Ace is a wonderful patient, I must say. He has his bad days sometimes but it's nothing we can't talk about." She looked over to Ace who was smiling back at her with a sense of pride.

"It's gonna be bittersweet when yew go, I'm no' gonna lie." he sighed with a half-smile. "It'll be great to 'ave Ace around again, but we lose yew." he blushed and looked away shyly. "I'll miss yew, Noodle."

Noodle smiled right back, stroking his face. "Hey, it's ok! You'll always know where I am if you need me. Also, being related to Frank gives me a great excuse to check on you all. I'll never be too far away, 'D."

The hunter blushed brilliant red when she stroked his face, her gentle nature so soothing to him. "Tha's good to know~" he smiled, clearing his throat in a silly attempt to stop his blushing. "Righ', I'd better check on my fiance."

Noodle giggled softly before stepping back. By now, the whole coven saw her as a sister and she couldn't be happier. Still, she had yet to tell Frank that they were related. "Alright, off you go then. He'll have a fit if you don't go see him soon." She sat down by Ace, still smiling at Stuart.

He nodded and left the room, leaving the rabbit in there so Ace could drink from it when he wanted to. "Where's my gorgeous boyfriend?" he cooed, searching for him.

Murdoc got up from his place on the sofa, wiping his face and eyes. The pack were mostly still out hunting, they'd been helping Stuart with his technique as of late. His aim was always impeccable but his traps needed work. He got up to find Stuart, following his voice. When he found him, he practically jumped into his arms. His emotions had been all over the place recently and he wanted nothing more than to hold him tight.

2D knew that Murdoc was struggling and caught him mid-air, his arms holding him tight. "My poor darlin'..." he sighed stroking his back and trying to comfort him. "Think of our weddin'...O' better times to come, love."

"I love you so much, darlin'. Please don't ever forget that." the vampire let himself fall from his lover's arms, kissing his forehead. He held him tight, just wanting to be close. He looked into Stu's eyes, his desperation clear.

"O course I won'!" he assured him, pulling him in for a kiss which lingered for a little while. "I could capture every star in the galaxy and it wouldn't even come close to 'ow much I love yew."

Well fuck. Now he was crying. He kissed him back with everything he had. "Hey Stu, can we just cuddle for a little bit?" He shifted slightly on the spot, picking at his nails.

"We can do wotever yew want~" he smiled softly, taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted his lap for Murdoc to sit on.

Normally Murdoc would've tried to assert dominance but right now, he was sick of acting and just wanted to cuddle with the man he loved. He climbed into his lap with little hesitation, resting his face in the other's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around Stu's waist, squeezing him tight. "You're amazing, you know that?"

2D felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs when Murdoc hugged him but didn't struggle or push him away. He could still breathe, albeit limited. "I'm jus' yewr average human, mate." he chuckled stroking down Murdoc's back as he held him. "Yew need to talk abou' anyfin'?"

Murdoc quickly loosened his grip, fearing he'd hurt the younger. "Average? Nothing about you is average. I've met many people in my life, humans, vampires and everything in between, but you are so different from all of them and I can never figure out why. You've never been average and you never will be." He shivered at the light touch, still not used to it. He sighed at his question and shook his head, still hiding in his neck.

His lungs filling up to normal capacity again, he stayed quiet as they just cuddled together. They didn't need to talk, just being in Murdoc's company was enough. He raised his hand to gently stroke his hair, finally speaking after a period of silence. "I 'ate to see yew so upset like this..."

Small, silent tears ran down his face as he held onto his lover. His face was still hidden so he could only hope he hadn't noticed. "I'm sorry, Stu. You shouldn't have to deal with all this."

2D frowned slightly and he tightened his hold on him. "Sometimes, the sea can be very choppy. Yew can' control it, or stop it. All we can do is ride through it until the storm passes." He kissed his cheek lovingly. "I know this is 'ard for yew. But yew are no' alone in this storm. I'm wiv' yew in the waves an' believe me, in time, the sea will settle."

Murdoc didn't move at all, just continuing to cry until he couldn't anymore. He knew Stuart was right, and his words did help him but once he was stuck in this mindset, it was difficult to get out. He tried to think of the future and Stuart. He tried to think how wonderful it would be when they got married, and if they'd ever have children. Eventually, the tears stopped, and he relaxed more.

Stuart couldn't do much else but hug him when Murdoc was in a sad mood. He wasn't the best at comforting people and looked relieved when he'd stopped crying.

He finally looked up at his lover, smiling despite his mood. He placed his head under his lover's chin before leaving a gentle kiss on his neck. "I don't deserve you. You're so... amazing."

2D blushed and chuckled. "Oh come on now, don' yew go all soft on me~" He wondered if he should temporarily take charge of the pack while Murdoc got himself together but he didn't want Murdoc to think that he wasn't doing enough as the Primus.

Murdoc caught himself, slowly climbing off his lover's lap. He straightened his shirt and wiped his face before looking to his lover. "Would you start a family with me, one day? Maybe run away, let Frank run the coven for a while?"

2D looked a bit surprised at that, not expecting him to suddenly come out with such a proposition. "O course I would! We'd 'ave to find someway to impregnate me but yew know I'd do anyfin' for yew~"

Murdoc shook his head. "I don't want you to do anything for me. If you choose to do something, I want it to be for you." He pressed their foreheads together, their breaths mingling. "And as for getting you pregnant, we have an extremely talented healer who sleeps just next door."

"I've said before tha' I'd like kids." he reminded him, putting his arms over Murdoc's shoulders. "Plus the marriage unless yew wanna skip tha'?" Hearing that Noodle could help with the pregnancy, his face lit up. "God, is there anyfin' tha' girl can' do?"

Murdoc kissed him softly. "Things change lovely and this isn't exactly just deciding what to have for dinner." He giggled quietly at his comment. "I know, she's amazing. I love the lass to bits."

"I know, but I've wanted kids for a long time an' tha's no' gonna change." He looked back into Murdoc's eyes as he kissed him gently. "Where would yew wanna go for a break?"

Murdoc sighed at the thought, laying back as he thought of all the possibilities. "Anywhere you wanna go, lovely. My only request is that you don't pick somewhere with too much sun." In truth, he'd travel to Mexico during a heatwave if it would please Stu.

"Well, er...I've never actually left England. Luckily for me, my assignments 'ave all been 'ere so I know very little abou' other countries." he said sheepishly.

Murdoc chuckled. "That doesn't matter. We can stay in England if you'd like, I know a lovely place up north if you're interested?"

"Sure, tha' sounds nice." he nodded, satisfied. "So are we goin' away first or 'avin' kids?" He didn't mind at all so passed to the choice to Murdoc.

Murdoc thought about it. "Somethin' tells me we won't have much time to get away with a little 'un." He was pretty sure the coven wouldn't let them leave if they had a kid. All of the vampires loved kids and he was convinced that they wouldn't leave Stuart alone. Poor lad didn't know what was coming. He chuckled at the thought, "I reckon it'd be best if we go before you get pregnant. Noodle's goin to want to monitor you often to make sure you're both alright."

That made perfect sense. "Ok, we'll do tha' then. When should we leave? Now? Next week?" He gave a small shrug not knowing what else to say. Still, it would be nice to go away and get a nice change of scenery.

"I think we should wait until Ace is a bit better. Frank can run the coven but I don't want to leave him right now." He looked down, suddenly enthralled with the pattern on his bedsheets. "Sorry, darlin'."

2D shook his head and waved his hand. "Love, don' be sorry for carin' abou' Ace, Jesus! I get it, he's yewr brother an' yew love 'im. Tha's perfectly understandable." He put his arm around him and gave him a small squeeze. "Go an' see 'im~"

Murdoc held him close, still avoiding his eyes. "I don't think he wants to see me, love. Things haven't been great between us since the kiss, ya know?" He loved his brother more than anything and would love to see him more than anything but he had to respect his space.

Oooh, the kiss. Yeah, that was awkward..."Well, d'yew fancy a game 'o cards wiv' the lads, then? Take yewr mind off o' everyfin'."

Murdoc considered, before nodding. "Sure, I'll see if they're up for a game or two. Are you coming, love? I reckon I'm gonna win this time. I can feel it!" Murdoc smirked playfully before kissing his cheek.

"Oh, don' be so sure~" he chuckled evilly, confident that he would win. 2D enjoyed their games nights, it was a good time to bond with his pack.

Murdoc giggled before taking his hand, leading him into the dining room where Gee, Lydia, and Dom were gathered around the table. Dom was attempting to show off a magic trick with the cards but Lydia's sharp eyes ruined his attempts every time. As soon as they entered, they were greeted with big smiles and Dom reluctantly gave up the cards so they could play.

2D sat next to his love at the table and rubbed his hands together. "I'm gonna slaughter the lot o' yew. A-At this game, I mean," he added awkwardly with a nervous smile.

The vampires burst into laughter. The entire coven loved Stuart and thought of him as the cool yet awkward brother-in-law. Gee dealt the cards extremely quickly, he was obviously very well-practised. They shared jokes and little bits of snacks as they played, Murdoc looking over at his lover often, just to make sure he was ok.

It was a relief when they laughed at him, prompting him to laugh as well. He was having a really good night with them and would put his hand on Murdoc's knee every so often to let him know things were fine.

As time went on, more of the vampires returned to the cave as day began to break. Last of all came Frank, a large stag was draped over his shoulder. His vampiric strength had really come out over the past days, and Gee couldn't have been happier. He placed the animal on the stone floor as gracefully as possible without catching its antlers. He bowed low before the vampires, "dinner is served."

The hunter's mouth started watering at the stag. Once they had drained it, he would skin it and save the meat. He rose from his chair and offered his hand to Murdoc, treating him like royalty. "My dear. As Primus, I feel yew should get first dibs on this fine beast~"

Murdoc smiled, "Generally, we all feed at the same time. The higher up you are, though, you get access to the best arteries. c'mere I'll show ya." He pointed out where all the deer's arteries would lie and how to get to them properly. "Generally, you want to keep the animal alive right until you start feeding so the heart can still keep the blood flowing." He felt around the stag's throat, finding the two main blood vessels that lay there. The primus and the hunter always got those, while the others found their own places to feed. It was not a pretty sight, but at that moment, the hungry vampires couldn't have cared less.

2D watched carefully and unsheathed a copper knife from his belt to skin a bit of the animal before carving some meat off of it which he would cook for his dinner. "Oh, I almos' forgot!" He stood up, putting the bloody meat onto a plate and placing it on the table before getting a cup and holding it under the artery. It rapidly filled with blood before 2D took it away, wrinkling his nose at the strong smell. "I'll be righ' back," he said heading to Ace's room and letting himself inside. "Got some stag's blood for yew, buddy!"

Gee quickly licked and sucked over the skin, not letting any go to waste. Each of them were equally enthralled by their meal and paid little attention when Stuart left.

Ace sat up in bed, happy to see his friend. He slowly slid his notebook under the covers beside him, hoping Stuart didn't notice. "Oh hi Stu, how are ya?" Noodle was feeding with the others so this was the first time they'd been alone together since his attempt.

"Not bad, mate. Not bad." Not even noticing the notebook, 2D walked up to his bedside and sat with him, giving him the cup of blood. "Didn't want yew missin' ou' on the kill." he smiled. It soon dawned on him that they were alone together which was forbidden but Ace was still recovering so it wasn't like he could do much, right?

"You're so good to me. thank you." He took the cup, careful not to spill any before drinking all of it with little difficulty. He shook slightly as he felt himself become stronger and his cravings ceased. He'd felt fine before but now he felt... amazing. He smiled up at Stu, thanking him once more.

"Oh, no problem." he smiled back, remembering Murdoc's rule that he couldn't be alone with Ace and stood up, awkwardly rubbing his arm. He didn't want to openly say, 'I'm no' allowed to be alone wiv' yew,' and was trying to think of an excuse to leave. "I'd better get back to the pack, see if I can get more meat off o' tha' deer..."

Ace knew why he had to leave. Murdoc was forcing them to separate. Well, that just wouldn't do, would it? He looked back at Stu but didn't smile. Instead, his expression consisted of an emotion much more... ugly. He nodded his head as if to say goodbye.

The look Ace gave him sent a shiver down his spine. He didn't like that at all! Without a word, 2D ran out of the room back to the pack, trying not to look too shaken. What the fuck had just happened in there?

Murdoc was going into the bathroom to wash up a little after his meal when he ran into Stu. "Hey, darlin', are you ok? You're looking a little shaken love." He placed a short kiss on his forehead before surveying him further. He looked... scared. He tried to think about what could have caused it when he noticed Ace's door still open. He frowned slightly but stayed quiet, not daring to make assumptions just yet.

2D almost jumped out of his skin when he bumped into the Primus, his eyes wide with shock. "I-I'm fine! Tiptop, everyfin's fine!" he babbled catching Murdoc's slight frown when he looked at Ace's door. "I 'ave to go to the toilet..." he whimpered rushing past him to the bathroom, locking himself inside.

Well, know he knew something was wrong. He had his suspicions as to what had happened but he didn't want to assume anything until Stuart told him what happened. He went to the bathroom door, knocking gently before speaking in his softest voice. "Stuart love, I know something's up. Please will you talk to me? I can't help you if you don't talk to me." He let out a soft sigh, wishing he'd never left Stuart alone. "I won't be mad, no matter what happens. I promise, 'D."

2D wore his heart on his sleeve and wasn't good at keeping secrets. He did go for a quick piss while he was in there before opening the door warily. "Can we please talk in yewr room?" he asked quietly, wringing his hands together.

Murdoc smiled, glad that he was finally going to talk to him. He nodded at his request, taking his hand and leading him to their room. He let Stuart sit down on the bed before sitting beside him. He stayed away a little bit, giving his lover some space and tried his absolute best to keep his hands to himself. "Talk to me, lovely. What's going on?"

Once they were sat down, 2D dragged his hands down his pale face and groaned before looking at Murdoc. "I jus' wanted to give Ace some blood from the kill so he wasn't missin' ou' an' he jus'...Gave me this dark look tha' wasn't 'im when I said I needed to go."

Murdoc was confused. "A dark look? What does that mean? Like horror movie, fangs-out, 'I'm gonna kill ya' style, or 'so help me god you are so insanely hot kind of dark look?" He didn't understand why Ace would do either but based on the way Stuart was acting, he'd be inclined to guess the former.

"I can' explain it, it was like...Almos' murderous?" 2D looked at Murdoc and tried to imitate the look Ace had given him with furrowed brows, narrow eyes and a grim, yet determined look on his face. "I don' know where the FUCK it came from, he was absolutely fine before I said I 'ad to go."

Murdoc raised an eyebrow, still confused. "I think Acey and I are going to have to have a chat soon." He placed his head in his hands, trying to think of what he could possibly do in this situation. "Please will you tell me next time you want to go and see him? I'll sit in with you both, or I could just ask Noodle if you'd prefer?"

"Forgive me, I know I went against yewr rule. I only meant to nip in an' ou', I wasn't intendin' to stay." Feeling extremely guilty, he rested his forehead against Murdoc's shoulder. "I can' put my finger on it, but...Somefin' 'aint quite righ' abou' Ace..."

Murdoc placed a kiss upon his head. "It's alright, darlin'. Just... don't do it again, yeah?" He wasn't mad at all, just worried for his safety around Ace. He hadn't been right since his attempt. He was more withdrawn, quieter, and certainly angrier. He loved his brother, but whatever had come about recently was not his brother.

"I won', I swear," he promised not wanting to leave Murdoc's side at all, now. Before Ace was 2D's best friend but now, he just felt very uneasy around him, like something bad was going to happen...

Murdoc stroked his lover's face in an attempt to comfort him, even slightly. "You look stressed, love. Do you want to cuddle or go to sleep or something? I think you need to let yourself relax for a bit." He let his hand sneak below his shirt as he ticked 2D's side softly, the tips of his fingers barely making contact with the skin.

2D looked outside to see that there were a few hours left until sunrise. Murdoc was right, relaxing would do him good. "Yeah...Yeah, I'm gonna 'ave a nice long sleep, I think." he answered leaning into his touch.

Murdoc nodded, pulling the covers over them both. "Everything will be alright, don't worry, my love." He placed a kiss upon Stu's forehead before lying beside him and letting his eyes fall closed. The warm weight of the body beside him made sleep come quickly and easily.

It took 2D a bit longer to drop off as his mind was on Ace and his bizarre behaviour but eventually, sleep took him. In his heart, he knew Murdoc wouldn't allow any kind of foul play, especially towards him.


	15. Their first domestic

When he woke, his eyes were still heavy and his mind somehow heavier. He had been completely incapable of putting his mind to rest. He looked over at his sleeping lover, skillfully wiggling out of his embrace. He gave him a final kiss on the head before leaving for Ace's room. He opened the door as silently as possible, observing the sleeping figure. He was holding onto something, a book perhaps? 

He crept over silently, gently taking the book from his hands. It seemed to be a diary of some sorts. He moved out of the room, closing the door behind him. He went back to his room before hiding it at the very back of his wardrobe. Murdoc slipped back in bed, not leaving any indication that he'd left. Hopefully, the diary would give him some idea of why Ace was acting so strangely.

When Murdoc returned, 2D cuddled up to him in his sleep, his breathing calm and peaceful. When night fell, he began to stir and woke up with a stretch and a yawn. He smiled seeing Murdoc beside him and gently kissed his cheek.

Murdoc wiggled in his sleep. He woke up with a smile, looking up at his lover. "Good mornin', love. Did you sleep alright?"

"Mhmm~" he smiled before sitting up slowly, his mind trying not to focus on Ace. He wasn't going to visit him today, even with an escort. "Did yew?"

Murdoc wiped his eyes, considering his response. "Um... yeah actually. It was alright." He leaned down to kiss Stuart's forehead. "I think the lads are planning on having a game night tonight, you interested?"

"Oooh, yeah!" he grinned quickly getting out of bed and dressing. "Are yew gonna play too?" he asked looking back at him excitedly.

Murdoc stretched, forcing himself out of bed to throw on some clothes. "You bet! I'm gonna beat you so hard." He stroked down Stu's arm, teasing him before stealing a cheeky kiss.

He giggled in response to that and returned the kiss. "Ooh, tha' almos' sounded dirty!" He was putting on a brave face but inside, he was still nervous of Ace.

Murdoc wrapped his hand around his waist, tickling him softly. "Oh did it? I didn't realize." He giggled, oblivious to Stuart's inner struggle. He dropped his hands to his hips, rubbing his thumb over him. He leaned in close, kissing and nibbling at his neck and ear.

He squeaked and squirmed as he was tickled, one of his weaknesses as he accepted another kiss and allowed the Primus to mark him and accept his affection. "I'm gonna cook tha' stag meat for breakfast."

Murdoc whined, dragging his fingers up and down his sides. "Can't that wait? Come and stay with me for a while, please?" He kept leaving kisses down his neck, moving his shirt a bit to get at his collarbone.

The hunter's stomach growled wanting food but his dick started to twitch wanting something else. He groaned and bit his lip. "Ok fine, I'll starve..."

The primus chuckled. "Aww, baby. You'd starve just for me?" He guided him to the bed, using his hips to steer him before softly pushing him down onto his back. Almost immediately, Murdoc was on top of him desperately placing kisses on his neck as he fought to get their shirts over their heads.

2D grunted with the weight of the Primus on top of him, moaning and gasping as his neck was kissed and ravaged, his hands moving to cup Murdoc's arse once they were shirtless. "Blimey, calm down!" he chuckled, squirming where it tickled. "I'm no' goin' anywhere."

Murdoc hid his face in Stuart's chest, placing his head under his chin. "I know, love." In reality, he didn't know. No one had any clue as to whether the hunters would come back, or one of them got sick, or whatever else. All he knew was that Stuart was here now and that he deserved all the love in the world.

The thought sobered him considerably, slowing him down until he was just leaving lazy kisses to his lover's chest and stroking his arm.

Stuart still wasn't quite used to Murdoc's extreme clingy-ness and had to keep reminding himself that the vampire hadn't had affection for hundreds of years which was probably why he craved it. In a way, he felt like a much-loved toy in the grip of a cat, pleasant and cute when it was happy but capable of killing you in a split second. 2D laid there quietly, just holding him and giving him the attention he wanted. "It's still so weird. I spent all those years killin' vampire's an' 'ere I am engaged to one!"

Murdoc chuckled, "oh yeah? Well, I guess you didn't account for just how incredibly attractive I am, hmm?" He managed to shift them both so they were on their sides facing each other He moved his knee so it brushed Stuart's crotch. The way he did it could've been thought to be an accident, but the way Murdoc grinned into Stu's chest probably gave him away.

2D's only answer was a groan from Murdoc's knee gliding over his crotch, making him hard. He savoured the feeling before lowering his hand down to grope Murdoc's backside, wincing a bit as his stomach protested angrily.

Murdoc groaned at the feeling, pushing back into his hand. "You sound terribly hungry, love. Maybe he should stop now and get you fed, hm?" He dropped his hand to his crotch, gently palming him through his pants. He smirked playfully at the other, wanting nothing more than to be an asshole at this point.

2D's stiffening dick strained against his jeans making it very difficult to focus on anything as all the blood was rushing from his head. "Yew're playin' wiv' me..." he groaned closing his eyes.

"mmhm, clever lad aren't ya? So, do you want to stay, or go?" He slowly unbuttoned his jeans with one hand, his other stroking down his side, to his v-line, to his underwear, teasing him without mercy.

"Ahhh, yew're such a-OOUGHHH!" Murdoc wasn't playing fair and poor 2D was stuck. He had never felt this amazing before but at the same time, he was starving. "If I faint from 'unger, it's yewr fault..." he sighed feeling weak from both the stimulation and his appetite.

"Aww, I'm sorry, lovely. If you faint, I'll catch you, I promise." He grinned cheekily before taking him into his hand. He nipped and kissed at his neck as he steadily jerked his cock. Once he knew Stuart was getting into it, he completely stopped, taking his hand away. "Ya know, I think you're right. I'm gonna go cook us some breakfast and bring it back for ya. I wouldn't want you starving now, would I?"

2D was really starting to enjoy this and rolled his hips into Murdoc's hand, his cheeks flushing pink as he moaned. And then everything stopped. He looked up at Murdoc sharply, irritated that he had stopped. "Wot the fuck! Y-Yew can' jus' stop jus' like tha'!"

Murdoc kissed him on the nose and got up, not bothering to put on his shirt. "Watch me." He was unsure as to why, but he wanted to tease Stuart today. "I'll be quick, I promise. Don't touch yourself while I'm gone, I'll know if you have." He surveyed his fiancé's face to see if he really didn't want this or if he was just mildly irritated.

The sheer audacity! Murdoc was leaving him with blue balls and had the gusto to tell him not to play with himself! He stared back at Murdoc open-mouthed, unsure if he was serious or not. "Wo-yew...REALLY?!" he squeaked squinting at him in complete confusion. So, Murdoc wanted to be an arse today? Two could play at that game...

Murdoc nodded, still smirking. "Absolutely and I think I'm going to cook the leftovers from last night. If we have to call the fire service, you'll have to wait 'til they've gone, also." He chuckled slightly and kissed Stuart. "Don't have too much fun without me, yeah?" With a menacing chuckle, he left for the kitchen.

2D frowned after him and waited until he was gone before furiously masturbating. Oh, he'd show him...Within minutes, he'd relieved himself into tissue and chucked it into the toilet before returning to the bed and laying on it stark naked with his arms behind his head and a smug smile on his face.

Murdoc took his time cooking the leftovers and making them look all pretty for his lover. He wasn't really hungry, but he made himself a plate anyway. He walked into the room with the two plates and growled. "Remind me, what was my one rule, hm?"

"Mm? Oh sorry, I wasn't listenin'~" he replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders, that smirk still on his face. 2D stretched making sure to take up the WHOLE bed and swung one leg over the other, totally relaxed.

Murdoc growled once again, practically pouncing on top of his lover. He immediately started biting and nipping at his neck, gently scratching down his sides. "Well, allow me to remind you." He bit down softly, "I told you NOT to touch yourself." He bit down harder than he intended; too hard.

Oh shit, this was new. 2D's eyes widened when Murdoc launched himself at him and was surprised when Murdoc BIT him hard. "OW!! WOT THE FUCK'RE YEW PLAYIN' AT?!" he yelled quickly covering his now bleeding neck, less than impressed with his act.

Murdoc looked down at him, his feelings sinking. "I'm... I'm so sorry love." He hadn't meant to hurt him, just to tease. He grabbed a t-shirt, pressing it to his neck.

Oh, Murdoc had done it now. The hunter was pissed off and snatched the shirt from him, in a foul mood. "Don' bother..." he growled pushing Murdoc off of him and sitting on the edge of the bed to see to his injury himself. Looking at the blood on the t-shirt, he groaned in frustration and started to dress.

Murdoc sat in place, looking as guilty as he felt. "I'm really sorry, darling. I didn't mean to hurt you. He put his shirt back on, sitting on the other end of the bed.

"Wot did yew think was gonna 'appen?" he asked looking back at him with a look of hurt trust in his eyes. "Yew've go' FANGS for fuck's sake!" 2D could have a vile temper when he was angry and he didn't want to shout and scream at Murdoc. He took his plate of food, muttered a quiet 'fanks...' and left the room before things could get any worse.

He let Stuart shout at him, knowing he deserved it. He bit his lip, tasting iron on his tongue. He stayed sat in place, pushing his own plate away. He would usually want to go after Stu, but he wanted space right now and invading it wouldn't help the situation.

They both needed space. 2D believed Murdoc when he said he didn't mean to hurt him but he was still annoyed that he took that chance. He trudged into the lounge and sat down at the table, putting down his plate and tying the t-shirt around his neck like a scarf to stop the bleeding.

Murdoc didn't know what to do with himself. After realizing Stuart wasn't coming back any time soon, he trudged over to his wardrobe, digging out the book. He flicked through the pages, finding drawings, poems, diary entries. It was all seemingly normal stuff until he got to the latest entries. They were filled with obsession, jealousy and possessiveness. He closed the book quickly, putting it back in its hiding place, feeling more than slightly disturbed.

2D ate alone and finally simmered down. His neck was sore but now he was calmer and had a clear head. After taking his plate into the kitchen, he walked /very/ quickly past Ace's door to Murdoc's bedroom where he knocked very gently. "Muds?" he asked in a small timid voice, feeling like shit for shouting at him. "Are yew 'ere?"

Murdoc smiled softly, glad his lover was back. "Yeah, love, I'm here. Come in." He sat up straight, wiping his eyes. His food was still completely untouched and his eyes were slightly puffy.

2D let himself in and made a beeline for him, falling to his knees and burying his face in his lap. "Yew don' want this fuckin' idiot for a husband..."

Murdoc stroked his hair, happy to have his fiancé back. "It was all my fault, love. You have every right to be angry. He leaned to kiss his forehead. "You're not a fucking idiot, and I want nothing more than to have you as my husband. You don't seem to realize how amazing you are, 'D."

"I'm really no'.." he said sheepishly looking up at him, enjoying having his hair stroked. "Forgive me for my rudeness. Tha's no way to speak to a King."

Murdoc picked him up, placing him on his lap so they could look each other in the eyes. "When you're with me, I'm no king. We're equals, ok? I made a mistake and it's not your fault that you're mad, it's mine." He kissed him softly on the forehead, holding him close.

At first, he was too ashamed to look Murdoc in the face but he respected him and did meet his gaze albeit slowly. "Yew're a king to me an' nuffin' will ever make me think otherwise." The hunter kissed his cheek apologetically and wrapped his arms around him for a much-needed hug.

Murdoc stroked his cheek, enjoying the soft skin. "Hey, if I was your king, would I do this?" He lay down on the bed, with Stu still on top of him. The primus leaned his head back, giving Stuart access to every vulnerability he had, completely giving himself up to his lover.

2D looked down at him, hardly able to believe what he was seeing before smiling. "A good king takes care of his people." He leaned down and gently started to kiss around his jawline and neck.

Murdoc hummed happily at the sensation. "Yeah? Well, I've done a pretty shit job at that so far." He moved the shirt to the side slightly; it had stopped bleeding but the area was a mess. He leaned forward, using his elbow to keep himself up. He gently kissed and licked at the wound. The skin sealed almost instantly as if it had never been broken.

2D made a small noise of discomfort where the shirt stuck to his wound. Knowing Murdoc was trying to help, he bit his lip and braced himself as the vampire carefully licked his wound, the pain leaving him as it healed. "Oh God, tha's so much better~"

He gently untied the shirt, noting just how much blood had stained the white material. "I'm so sorry, baby." He cautiously licked and sucked around the wound, apologizing in the only way he knew how. He leaned to kiss him before falling back, completely giving himself up once again.

"Don' worry abou' it," he answered, pleased that Murdoc had healing powers of his own that made the wound vanish. When the Primus laid down, 2D resumed kissing his neck and chest gently.

(Only one chapter left! Are you guys ready? I'm not)


	16. A royal wedding

Murdoc stood at the back entrance to the cave. In the open area just outside of the kitchen, he knew his very soon to be husband was waiting for him. Everything was decorated with beautiful white flowers and golden fairy lights lining the walls. Everything was so incredibly gorgeous, he'd have to thank Gee a million times over for arranging it all. 

He fidgeted around in his black suit, tailored specifically for today. He was so excited, but if he was being honest, he was freaking out. "Frank, I don't think I can do this. I don't deserve him! What if he gets sick of me? I'd die!" He bounced his foot, looking to Frank, who was trying his best to calm him down. Ace, his best man, was equally as nervous for them both, so he was of little help.

Frank put his hands on Murdoc's shoulders, trying to ground him and keep his cool. "Are you kidding? He ADORES you! The guy kisses the ground you walk on! Just remember, nice deep breaths, this is the happiest day of your life."  
Murdoc wrapped his arms around Frank, squeezing him tight. "Thank you so much for everything, Frank, I don't know what I'd do without you." He backed away, patting his shoulder.  
Frank hugged him back with a smile. "Go get 'em, tiger!"

Meanwhile, at the other end of the cave, 2D was equally nervous as he looked at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a pure white suit with a gold waistcoat, a ruffled shirt and a rose of deepest red for a buttonhole. This was the day he became Murdoc's mate for life and he hoped he would be a good one. He turned to Lydia wringing his hands anxiously as he asked her for the 8th time, "Ow do I look?"

Lydia straightened his jacket and straightened his tie. "You look amazing, love. Honestly, our Murdoc's so lucky to have ya." She grabbed her brush and gently ran it through his hair, taking it to the side. "You're gonna knock all of their socks off, trust me."

2D stood still as she helped him look his best. His spiky hair put up a bit of a fight but was soon tamed. He smiled and kissed her cheek, thanking her for her help. "Ok..." he sighed, trying to stay calm. "Do I go ou' first or does he? I've never been married before."

Lydia smiled at his adorable cluelessness. "Murdoc will go first and I'll give you your cue, alright love? Gee will take you and from there, it's all between you two. You'll do fine, I know it." She fussed over his outfit and made some final touches as she heard the music begin. "That's Murdoc's cue! Are you ready?"

Murdoc took a deep breath, gripping Frank's hand before walking down their makeshift aisle. His hands shook and he tried his best to compose himself as he walked down to where the coven sat around. He took a breath, turning around to his brothers and sisters, waiting for his soon-to-be husband to come down to join him.

Lydia smiled at his adorable cluelessness. "Murdoc will go first and I'll give you your queue, alright love? Gee will take you and from there, it's all between you two. You'll do fine, I know it." She fussed over his outfit and made some final touches as she heard the music begin. "That's Murdoc's queue! Are you ready?"

Murdoc took a deep breath, gripping Frank's hand before walking down their makeshift aisle. His hands shook and he tried his best to compose himself as he walked down to where the coven sat around. He took a breath, turning around to his brothers and sisters, waiting for his soon-to-be husband to come down to join him.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck..." he whispered under his breath when Lydia told him it was his time to go out there. In the main hall, Frank squeezed Murdoc's hand to quietly imply that everything would be fine and he was doing well.

Gee suddenly appeared around the corner linking the arm of the hunter who emerged with his chest puffed out, trying to hold it all together and be a man about this. When his eyes fell on Murdoc, he smiled feeling a bit calmer as he was lead down the aisle towards his partner. God, he looked so smart in that black suit...

Gee leaned close, whispering, "you look lovely, Stu. Mudz is nearly crying already." He grinned playfully as he walked his best friend to where Murdoc was stood, messing with his nails, trying to wipe his eyes subtly. Gee let go of his arm, standing a few steps away. 

Murdoc looked him up and down, in awe at how the suit hugged his frame perfectly. The colours made his black eyes shine and complimented his hair perfectly. He took a breath to compose himself, trying not to cry in front of everyone.

With the groom and groom standing side by side, the ceremony could begin. Dom was in charge of marrying them and stood behind a filing cabinet draped with a table cloth to make it look regal. He cleared his throat and looked down at his script. "Dearly beloved," he gave a nod to the hunter, "And departed. We are gathered here to join this man and this vampire in eternal unity." 

Dom looked up from his hastily copied script and smiled at the pair. "Let us begin the tying of the hands to symbolise your pledge of loyalty and love for each other."

Murdoc grinned at Dom's attempts, and the reference to his favourite movie of all time. He took the dripping candle from Dom and held Stuart's hand. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this bind, I ask you to be mine." 

Dom wrapped the blue, black and gold cord around their joined hands twice before tying it firmly.

This was all new to 2D as he had never learned about vampire weddings. Looking at his husband-to-be with pure love in his eyes, he squeezed Murdoc's hand slightly as the ropes were intertwined around their hands. Dom looked to the human and gestured for him to recite his vows so that their marriage would be binding.

"Wiv' this 'and, I will lift yewr sorrows. Yewr cup will never empty, for I will be yewr wine." His gaze never left Murdoc's as he continued reaching with his free hand to gently grasp his own candle. "Wiv' this candle, I will ligh' yewr way in darkness. Wiv' this bind, I ask yew to be mine."

Satisfied with the proceedings, Dom looked at them both with a huge smile. "I now pronounce you husband and husband."

Murdoc grinned from ear to ear as the coven whooped and shouted. He put down the candle before leaning in to kiss his new husband, tears running down his face. "I love you so much, darlin. I really do."

2D was just about holding it together and passionately kissed him back to the cheering of the pack, using his free hand to wipe away the other's tears. "An' I love yew too~" he answered after pulling away, their hands still tied for the ceremony. The hunter grinned at the smiles and cheers they were getting and gave a little nod to the red carpet aisle. "After yew, my love."

Murdoc held his hand even tighter, walking his husband down the carpet. He watched as their family cheered and waved. Gee was holding Frank as he cried which they both knew he'd never hear the end of. He didn't think he'd ever been so happy, nor ever would be. He leaned over, leaving small kisses all over Stu's face as they walked. Their hands would be locked together until the party afterwards so he figured he'd make the most of their closeness.

2D returned them when and where he could, giggling at his husband's affection for him. This was certainly the best day of his life! Although he knew Ace was present, he purposefully ignored him. He didn't mean it to be rude, but he couldn't trust him the way he used to.

Eventually, they got to their room. Lydia had insisted on them staying out of the dining room until she was sure everything was ready. As soon as they were inside, he pulled the human close, bringing their foreheads together. "This is it, love, we're finally married." He practically bouncing with energy as he kissed 2D. "So, what now?"

2D laughed at how excited Murdoc was and cuddled him with his free arm. "Wot indeed? These 'ave to stay on until the party's over, righ'?" he asked holding up their tied hands, his thumb gently caressing over Murdoc's.

Murdoc nodded, "Lydia and Ace take them off when we arrive, just before the first dance." He kissed him softly, smiling at the knowledge that they were now married. Nothing could separate them now, not even in death and he couldn't be happier.

2D had officially been claimed by Murdoc and they would be together forever. "A dance? Oh God, I'm a crap dancer!" he giggled smooching the tip of Murdoc's nose.

"It's easy love, trust me. You can stand on my feet if it makes you feel better, just follow my lead and you'll do great." He wrapped his arm around the other's waist, rocking them both from side to side.

"I'll look like a kid..." he muttered before they started to do a slow practice. It wasn't that hard at all and 2D was confident that it would be fine.

Murdoc giggled, kissing him softly. "Even if you do, which you won't, it won't matter. They're all your family and they all love you as much as I do." His head whipped up as he heard a knock. Immediately, Frank's voice came through the door.  
"Oi lovebirds, save it for later, will ya? Lydia told me to come get you both."

2D jumped when he heard a knock at the door and instinctively held Murdoc's arm before he realised it was Frank. "Stop lookin' through the keyhole, yew perv!" he laughed rolling his eyes before looking at Murdoc again. "Well, looks like it's our time to shine, love~"

Murdoc rolled his eyes as he heard Frank giggling as he ran down the hall. He couldn't help but laugh himself as he heard a loud thud and Frank shouting "I'm ok!" from the corridor. He brushed his shirt down slightly before leading Stu down to the dining room. His breath was completely taken as he looked over Lydia's handiwork. Colour changing fairy lights hung from the walls and all the furniture had been moved out of the room, leaving only a small stereo and a table in the corner. The whole coven stood around drinking or nibbling on bits from the small buffet.

Lydia had gone all out on the decorating. 2D gasped and stared in wonder at the lights, feeling himself becoming emotional. It was so beautiful. They walked to the centre of the room and the hunter turned to face Murdoc, tears rolling down his cheeks as he smiled at him, putting an arm on his shoulder to get into position for their dance.

Dom approached them on the centre of the 'dance floor', carefully untying the ropes that bound them. All around the room, the vampires cheered, all equally happy for their primus and Stuart. Murdoc smiled, wrapping his arm around his husband's waist and drawing him close as the music began.   
'The very thought of you and I forget to do, the little ordinary things that everyone ought to do '  
Murdoc lead him in a very slow dance, occasionally slowing to spin the other before drawing him close once again. "You're amazing, love, I'm so glad we're married now."

Everything was just so perfect, it was like a dream. 2D's heart just MELTED at the choice of song as they danced, feeling on cloud 9 as he was delicately spun by his partner and drawn close again. "Oh Murdoc, me too. I wished I'd asked yew sooner." he sighed, resting his head on Murdoc's chest as they slow danced.

Murdoc chuckled, comforted by the warm weight on his chest. Eventually, the song drew to a close and the coven joined them on the dance floor for a more upbeat tune. They each took their partners, Lydia blushing when Dom invited her to the dance floor. Even Ace was dancing with Allison, both laughing and seeming genuinely happy. "Do you want a drink, lovely? I think I'm gonna get a beer if that's alright."

"Mate, it's our weddin' nigh'!" he grinned pulling him into a kiss and stroking his hair. "Yew can do wotever yew like. An' since yew ask, could yew get me a beer too?" he asked sweetly.

Murdoc rubbed his chin and hummed as if considering his question. "Fine, but only because it's for you." He grinned and kissed him softly once again. He grabbed two beers from the buffet table, he thanked Frank and Gee for their work and the present they'd gotten the couple. After a quick chat and a hug, he returned to his husband, opening his bottle with his teeth.

Of course, 2D was also grateful and thanked everyone involved with a hug before standing by himself and waiting for Murdoc. The hunter withdrew a small knife from inside his suit and used it to pop the cap off of his bottle before chinking it with Murdoc's and taking a swig.

Murdoc chuckled slightly, "has there ever been a time in your life, where you haven't been concealing at least three different knives?" He took a drink and wrapped his arm around his waist while looking out on the pure joy of his coven. He hadn't seen them this happy since... he didn't even know.

"Nope~" he beamed happily. "Never know when yew migh' need one." He put his head on his lover's shoulder as he watched the other's celebrate their unity knowing that he and Murdoc had a beautiful future together.

"I'm a, well I /used/ to be a hunter. Old habits die hard." he quipped back sipping his beer before lowering his voice. "Ave yew spoken to Ace? Is he still actin'...' funny'?"

Murdoc looked up from his drink, sighing under his breath. "I haven't spoken to him since he got better. He seems fine now though." He watched as Ace laughed and joked with Allison, a smile creeping onto his face.

Maybe he was right. Maybe Ace WAS ok now that he was better and finally moved on from 2D? This was their wedding night, he shouldn't worry about such things! He nodded and took a sip of his beer, staying close to his husband.

"So," the vampire leaned close, gently kissing his neck. "Got any plans for later, love?" He knew the whole coven could see them but they were all having fun and no one was paying attention.

"I migh' 'ave a /few/ ideas~" he purred back, smirking as the other kissed his neck. "Why, did yew 'ave anyfin' in mind?" As long as they didn't have to do anything extreme like fuck in front of everyone, he was game.

Murdoc chuckled deep in his throat. "I might do, I might not. Who's to say?" He lifted the other's chin so that their eyes met before pulling him into a kiss. He smirked into his skin as his hand slowly wandered down from his waist.

"Well...Yew are?" he chuckled kissing him back affectionately. He couldn't believe it, he was a Nicalls now! Stuart Harold Nicalls. It had a nice ring to it.

"Don't worry about that, darlin." He gasped slightly as he heard his favourite song come on. "Dance with me?" He held out a hand, offering it to Stu.

Giggling, the young man took his hand gently in his own and nodded eagerly. Coincidentally, it was one of his favourites too.

Murdoc lead him to the dance floor for a much more upbeat dance this time. The coven whooped and clapped as they danced around, all having the time of their lives.

2D drank his beer as he danced, slowly getting wasted. He'd never partied so much in his life and it was great! Eventually, the sky began to lighten and it was time for the pack to retire. "I jus'...(hic!) Wanna fank yew all!!" 2D slurred with a stupid drunken smile. "I LOVE yew...~"

The coven all gave their congratulations and such as they left. Eventually, the two were left alone, with Murdoc pretty much sober and Stu completely wasted. "You're gonna have a killer headache tomorrow, love. Here, this will sober you up a little." He offered a small glass of liquid, it was what his dad always used when he'd been drinking. It was absolutely vile but worth it.

"Oooh, wot is it?" he asked taking the glass and eyeing it with interest before knocking it back in one gulp and instantly gagging afterwards. "Eugh God, wotever it is, it's gone the fuck off!" He stuck out his tongue and wiped it frantically on a napkin to try and get rid of the horrific taste. It was like vinegar, rotten eggs and some sort of drain cleaner.

Murdoc tried not to laugh at his reaction but did anyway. "yeah it's like that." He gently ran his hand down Stuart's side, knowing how sensitive and ticklish it was. "Now, would you like to continue this in our room or are you too tired?"

That vile concoction was like being slapped in the face with a stinking fish and it knocked the intoxication right out of 2D's system. He held up a finger before rushing off into the kitchen and gargling some water to rid his mouth of the taste before returning, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "Fuck...Tha' was like drinkin' a fuckin' FART." He flinched and giggled when Murdoc tickled him and linked his arm. "Yeah, let's go to bed."

Murdoc unlinked their arms, instead opting to pick him up and carry him to their bedroom. When they arrived at their door, Murdoc had to use his foot to open it. He gently placed Stuart on the bed before kissing everything he could reach, sliding off his jacket and leaving it abandoned on the floor.

"I've been doing a bit of research since our last encounter," he whispered into his husband's ear, before gently kissing and nipping at his earlobe. "I think I know a way that will make us both feel really good. What do you say?" He was now completely shirtless, stroking a hand through 2D's hair before gently pulling.

"Research?" he gazed back up at him, letting his hands wander and roam over Murdoc's gorgeous body. "Can yew tell me or is it a secret?~"

Murdoc sat on the bed before picking up the, surprisingly light, Stuart and placing him on his lap so his chest met 2D's back. "You're gonna lie here like the beautiful prince you are, while I fuck you nice and deep, yeah?" He rolled his hips up into his ass, hoping he got the idea. "Does that sound good?"

He gasped feeling Murdoc's bulge against his virgin arse, going bright red in the face. God, Murdoc sounded so dominant and powerful! That alone gave 2D a hard-on. "Y-Yes Sir!" he moaned almost melting into a puddle of submissive ooze right there.

Murdoc growled and flipped them. He looked so incredibly beautiful beneath him and the blush that covered his entire face and chest only served to make him seem more desirable. He reached over to his bedside table before digging around in his drawers. After a little while, he came back up with an unopened bottle of lube he'd bought specifically for tonight. "This might feel weird at first but you'll enjoy it, trust me. If I do anything you don't like, tell me immediately. got it?"

Never in his life had 2D felt so overpowered and he loved it. He put up no resistance at all and simply laid there like a good boy while Murdoc told him what he was going to do. "Go' it~" he answered nodding his head as he looked at the lube tube.

"I'm gonna prep you, alright? Just relax." He gently jerked his lover's cock before brushing his hand past his balls and down to his ass. He teased for a little bit, just letting his hands wander before pouring some lube on his hand and warming it up a little. When he was sure Stuart was ready, he slowly inserted his finger before stopping to make sure he was ok.

At first, 2D flinched and squirmed a bit, not used to being touched there but he forced himself to relax so that Murdoc could do what he wanted to do. "So, 'ow's this work," he started to say looking up at the ceiling like he was in a therapist's office. "Do yew jus'- OOOAARRGHHH??!!" His face contorted into a weird grimace as Murdoc's finger went in, not used to the feeling AT all.

Murdoc chuckled slightly at the reaction. He moved his hand slightly, trying to find a certain spot he didn't even know existed until he'd stolen a book from Frank's room. He jerked him slowly before angling his finger just right.

2D was breathing in and out slowly like he was in labour and all of a sudden, his whole body rippled with pleasure making him gasp. "W-Wot the fuck was tha'?"

"That, my love, was your prostate. Good, huh?" He removed his finger before leaning to kiss his husband. He applied more lube before teasing with two fingers, gently easing them in. "Are you still ok?"

2D nodded thickly with a smile creeping on his face as Murdoc kissed him, raising his hand to hold the side of his face. "Yeah, I think so..."

Once they were inside, he gently scissored them, opening him up. He tried to brush past his prostate as much as possible just to hear him whine and whimper beneath him. Once he was satisfied, he added a third, gently fucking him open. "You're so pretty for me, love. Do you think you're ready?"

2D was naturally, very tight as this was his first time with another guy. It was uncomfortable but wasn't too painful as Murdoc was very gentle with him and the touches to his prostate really helped. After a while of getting used to the fingering, he nodded his head before quickly remembering how big Murdoc was. "I-I don' know if yew'll fit!"

Murdoc chuckled, blushing slightly at the compliment. "While I have to thank you, I'm sure that it will." He kissed his lover's neck before murmuring against his skin, "it's never too late to back out, darlin'. If you don't think you're ready, you only need to say the word."

The young man shook his head, stroking Murdoc's hair as he kissed his neck. "I 'ave to get used to it sometime. Especially if we're gonna 'ave a child in the future~."

Murdoc nodded, removing his fingers. He used plenty of lube, not wanting to hurt Stu, before lining up with his entrance. He kissed his neck, trying to distract him as he gently pushed in. He groaned at the feeling but stopped nonetheless to look up at Stuart. "Are you ok, love?"

2D made a few small grunts of discomfort and jerked a bit when Murdoc was about halfway inside him. "Ahhh fuck, tha' stings..." he hissed keeping his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry, lovely. I'm really sorry." He softly stroked a hand through 2D's beautiful blue mop. He didn't move, despite every atom in his body demanding him to, and kept kissing anywhere he could reach.

2D shook his head and held up his hand, signalling that he didn't need to apologise and took a slow breath before giving a nod to continue. It was weird, Murdoc's dick was cool in contrast to 2D's temperature so in a weird way, that helped to ease the pain a bit. 

Murdoc very slowly began to thrust into his lover, constantly making sure he was still ok. He groaned at the feeling and had to try his best not to cum right there. Once he'd composed himself, he began angling his thrusts, trying to catch that perfect little spot inside of the other.

The first few thrusts were painful judging by 2D's wincing face but as Murdoc went on, it eased and the hunter started to look calmer and even started moaning. "Ooohh...Oooh, tha' feels amazin'~"

Murdoc chuckled, "yeah? That feel good, darlin'?" He began to thrust harder into the spot, trying his best to make Stuart cry out beneath him. "You're so beautiful, 'D. So beautiful for me." He gently sucked on his neck, leaving a lovely purple bruise.

2D's moans only increased when Murdoc went in harder, each thrust making his toes curl. "Ohh! Oh, God! Yes!" he cried wrapping his legs around Murdoc's hips and digging his heels into his arse cheeks to spur him on. When Murdoc came down for his neck, he wrapped his arms around him to keep him close, moaning and whimpering in his ear.

Stuart's moans could've made him cum right there and then, but he was determined to hold off until his lover had finished. He thrust harder and faster, motivated by every sound that came from his mouth. He reached between them to jerk 2D in time with his thrusts, determined to make him feel good.

2D was so overstimulated, he looked like he was going to explode. "I-I can'..." he panted, not even having time to finish his sentence before he came with a cry of his husband's name before laying limply beneath him, breathing hard.

Murdoc only thrust twice more before he came hard inside of Stuart, almost collapsing as his arms turned to jelly. He winced slightly as he pulled out and lay beside his lover. "That was... wow. You were amazing, my love."

2D smiled weakly as he caught his breath and rolled his head to the side to look at Murdoc, his arse feeling numb from the pounding it had received. "Baby, yew did all the work...YEW'RE amazin~"

Murdoc chuckled and rolled onto his side to look at the other. He kissed him softly and wrapped his arms around the blue-haired beauty's waist to pull him close. "I love you so much, I still can't believe I'm married to you."

The younger nuzzled into him affectionately with a tired but happy smile on his face. "I know, it's like a weird dream. I never though' I'd ever get married."

"C'mon, we'd better get some sleep. We're gonna have a coven of hungover vampires to deal with tomorrow." He cuddled him close, enjoying his warmth as he slowly allowed sleep to take over.

2D was way ahead of him, already nodding off while Murdoc spoke. Well, they had finally had sex for the first time and it had gone well.

Murdoc woke up the next morning feeling warm and comfortable. He stretched before noticing the body beside him. He smiled at the memories of the previous day and trailed a line of kisses down his husband's collarbone. "Mornin', lovely. You feeling alright?"

The kisses woke up the hunter who slowly opened his jet black eyes, the moonlight glinting in them. He turned his head to look at his lover angelically, giving a small smile. "My arse really fuckin' 'urts..."

"I'm sorry, babe. C'mere, I'll kiss it better." Murdoc chuckled mischievously before kissing down his side. He got down to Stuart's hip before wiggling his eyebrows and giggling into the skin.

"Yew're so gross!" he laughed playfully ruffling his hair. "Fuck, yew don' 'ave a filter when it comes to love, do yew?" Of course, he knew Murdoc was only kidding and winced as he sat up with a soft groan.

"The only filter I associate with is filter coffee and you can quote me on that." He smiled before realizing how much pain the other was in. "You look like shit, love. Do you want me to grab you some pills or something?"

2D shook his head and held up his hand. "Nah, I'll be ok. I jus' 'ave to take it easy today." he reassured him before standing up with his legs apart like an exaggerated cowboy about to have a shoot out.

Murdoc nodded, still slightly concerned. "Alright, but tell me if you need anything, yeah?" He got up to change before stretching out his aching limbs. "So, seeing as we're technically on our honeymoon now, do you wanna see if we can get out for a while. Maybe we can finally take that holiday up north we were talking about?" He gently stroked up his lover's arm, leaving tiny kisses all over his shoulders.

Hey, that was a point. Their honeymoon! "Oh, I'd like tha'!" he grinned giggling at the kisses to his arm. "Who's gonna take charge o' the pack while we're gone, though? I vote Gee. He did all the decoratin'." Now that he was officially 2nd banana to Murdoc in the hierarchy, 2D was more entitled to a say in discussions. Of course, Murdoc had the final say as Primus but as his 'Queen', the hunter's rank went up significantly.

Murdoc thought about it. "What about Frank or Ace? Neither of them got wasted last night so they could take charge immediately. Also, they're both purebloods so they know this pack like the back of their hands."

"Frank," he replied almost immediately giving Murdoc a fixed look. That was another reason he wanted to go away for a bit for some time away from Ace. "Ok, great! We'll ask Frank." he got out of bed with a groan and dressed carefully before stepping into his boots.

Murdoc raised his eyebrow, concerned at just how much Ace seemed to bother his husband. He gently placed his hands on his shoulders, pulling 2D into his arms and forcing their eyes to meet. "Is there something you're not telling me? About Ace I mean. Whenever he comes up in conversation you always want to avoid it like the plague. Talk to me, lovely."

Fuck, now he was cornered. "Look, I-" 2D paused as he tried to find the right words. 'Don't trust him? Feel suspicious?' Noo, he couldn't say it like that. He didn't want to offend Murdoc. "I jus' can' get tha' look he gave me ou' o' my mind. Tha's all..." It wasn't all but that was all Murdoc was going to get out of 2D. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ace had changed and that something bad would happen...

Murdoc nodded, not completely satisfied. "You're my husband now, love, don't ever feel like you can't talk to me, ok? I don't care what it is, I'll always be here." He gently nuzzled into his lover's throat, kissing him softly. "I love you, 2D."

2D felt bad for keeping his true feelings hidden but they had already taken a massive blow with half of the pack being slaughtered. He didn't want to add another thing to the pile. "I love yew too~" he answered doing his best to smile as he held Murdoc close. "I'll leave it to yew to choose."

"Frank will take charge of the coven, I'll make sure of it." He brought Stuart close in a warm cuddle, protecting his lover from everything outside their door. "So, when would you like to leave? Noodle is leaving tomorrow night so I think we'd better wait to say goodbye."

"She is? Aww, man..." He would miss her greatly and didn't want to miss her departure. "Tha's fine, we can go after Nood's 'as gone if yew want?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss the lass but she has to go back to her family." He sighed slightly, knowing the coven wouldn't be the same without her. "At least we'll see her again, though"

"I 'ope so." 2D had developed a strong bond of friendship with Noodle and would be sad to see her go. "So, now tha' I'm married to yew, wot does tha' make me? Do I get a title?" he asked curiously.

"Marrying someone for their title? That's a bit shallow, wouldn't you say?" He chuckled and kissed Stu on the cheek. "I'm just messing with you, love. Technically, marrying the primus of a coven makes you a mother figure or at least a queen amongst the others. However, seeing as I'm gay, much to my father's disappointment, neither of those titles are a great fit. You can claim them if you want but I understand if you don't."

2D tried to sputter out an apology and say that he didn't mean it like that at all and was relieved when Murdoc was joking. "I don' mind bein' looked on as a Queen. A couple o' years ago, I came 3rd in a wet t-shirt competition." he said proudly like it was relevant to their conversation.

Murdoc burst into laughter, wiping his eyes. "Oh, that's brilliant! I can't lie, I'd love to see that." He gently wrapped his arms around his lover's waist stroking his thumb over his stomach.

2D smiled and looked down when he felt Murdoc's hand against his belly. "In a few months, this is gonna be the size of a beach ball~" he chuckled smooching his cheek.

Murdoc leaned into his touch, smiling happily. "I hope so. I can't wait to have a baby with you, darlin'. I gotta tell you, you're braver than me, I don't think I could cope with carrying a baby as well as dealing with me every day." He left a soft kiss on his husband's face.

2D chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I've been stabbed, bitten an' shot in my career. 'Avin' a baby's gonna be a breeze." He would later be eating his words when he would be in labour but that's 2D for you. "Actually, there's a question. 'Ow many young do Vampire's usually 'ave?" He had a horrible vision of himself unable to move with a massive, swollen stomach full of babies.

"Usually, they have two. I was a twin and it's a lot more common than it is amongst humans. Don't worry, though, I'll take care of you every step of the way." He cuddled close, kissing Stu's shoulder.

2D looked down at his stomach and gulped, hoping it could handle 2 kids. "I know, baby. I know..." He nuzzled into him affectionately with a sigh. "So, wot's on the agenda tonigh'?"

Murdoc gently rubbed his stomach, kissing him. "Well actually... I was wondering if you'd want to go on a walk with me later. Just you and me in the forest?"

He gave a satisfied hum when Murdoc stroked his tummy and his face lit up when a walk was mentioned. "Oooh, jus' yew an' me, eh?" he purred with a cackle. "Thinkin' abou' doin' anyfin' naughty?"

Murdoc chuckled, holding his lover tight. "Oh darlin', when am I not?" He kissed from Stuart's ear to his shoulder, chuckling softly. "It's hard to resist when you're just so beautiful all of the time." He gently nibbled his shoulder, tickling the skin and careful to keep his fangs out of the way.

He laughed at his displays of affection and playfully pushed him back. "Let's go now. I fancy a nice walk." He walked over to his side of the bed and took a dagger out of the bedside table. "Before yew say anyfin', it's jus' in case those wolves come back."

Murdoc chuckled, "plotting to kill me on our second day of being married? 'Bit rude, don't you think?" He kissed Stuart on the cheek before grabbing a cloak for him. "Here, you're gonna need this."

"Yes, this cloak is filled with a very special type of magic." He stroked the material between his fingers, looking down as if in awe. "It's called... fleece and it's purpose is to keep my husband lovely and warm." He tried his best not to laugh, raising his eyebrow at his lover.

Murdoc actually had 2D there who was staring at it in mystified wonderment before looking at him flatly. "Wow...I'd better be careful wiv' THIS bad boy, then." He put the cloak on over his shirt and made an impressed noise at how soft it was. 2D would have argued that he could just wear his hunting jacket but he didn't want to turn down this nice gift. "Fank yew, dear~"

Murdoc kissed him softly. "You're welcome, lovely. Now c'mon, we're losing night hours here!" He held his husband's hand, leading them to the entrance of the cave. The sun had only just set so the rest of the coven was sleeping soundly. "Are you ready, love?"

The young man hurried alongside him eagerly and nodded his head once they were at the mouth of the cave. "Hell yeah! Let's go!"

Murdoc, lead him through the forest. Every so often, he'd steal a kiss or two, giggling happily. "Oh, what's that over there?" He pointed over to where tiny fairy lights were hung from the trees and a small carpet was laid out over the grass. "It looks like a path. We should probably follow it, hmm? He held his hand, winking subtly.

Each time Murdoc kissed him, it took him by surprise and made him blush. "Wot's wo- Oh!?" 2D's eyes were fixed on the fairy lights, his curiosity piqued. "'Oly shit, we should! I've never seen anyfin' LIKE this in a forest!"

"Hmm... I wonder who put them there!" He lead him down the path, following the lights. As they went on, the lights multiplied and they were joined by small wooden arrows, all pointing the same way. He pulled Stuart close to him as they approached a small clearing. In the centre was a large blanket, with a small basket set on top. "Surprise!"

2D put his hands over his mouth as he gasped, overwhelmed by such a romantic gesture. "Oh, Murdoc! It's beautiful!!" What could be better than just Murdoc and him, sitting under the stars and fairy lights with a mystery basket. "Ow did yew find the time to do this?" he asked before cupping his lover's face and kissing him passionately, his golden necklace shimmering beautifully in the light.

Murdoc kissed back with equal passion, holding him close. "Well, let's just say, Gerard, Frank and I didn't get much sleep this morning." He sat down, looking around at all their hard work. "Are you hungry? We made quite a bit of food if you're interested."

2D sat down beside him, his eyes aglow with their romantic little love nest. "Mate, I could eat a horse. I'm ravenous!" He eyed the basket, curious to see what was inside it.

Murdoc smiled, opening the basket to reveal a wide range of small treats. There were small sandwiches separated into ham, egg and jam; small scones that had been lovingly shaped into hearts but had lost their shape in the oven; a range of tiny cakes and biscuits; and finally, an unopened bottle of wine with two glasses. "I didn't know what type of wine to get but Gee's family was Italian and he said this stuff was really good. If it's rubbish, don't blame me, yeah?" He shifted nervously, hoping that Stuart would enjoy the small feast.

He chuckled at Murdoc's comment and shook his head. "Darlin', this is wonderful~" 2D started to help himself to some food and cooed at the misshaped heart cookies before eating 5 of them consecutively. "This is fantastic, yew're the best!" This came out garbled as his mouth was full but he meant every word.

Murdoc chuckled, glad to see Stuart so happy. He grabbed a ham sandwich before practically scoffing it whole. He grabbed the wine and the glasses before pouring them both a glass. He moaned slightly around one of the cakes Frank and Gee had made, knowing he'd have to thank them later. "I know I'll never be Mary Berry, but I hope you enjoy everything. I may not be the best husband, but I know I'll always try my best to take care of you. I love you, Stuart."

2D raised an eyebrow, giving Murdoc a queer look as he tucked into a cake. Was he being serious right now? "My dear, we've only been married for 10 hours! Give yewrself a chance!" he gulped down the cake and giggled scooting closer to him. "I married yew because I /love/ yew wiv' every fibre of my bein'. Yew could be the poorest man in London an' I wouldn't care. Yew could be the biggest SLOB in the world an' it wouldn't matter to me." He looked deep into his eyes. "I love yew for /yew/. Don' ever forget tha'~"

Murdoc smiled, placing his arm around his shoulders. He gently used his forefinger to brush off some stray crumbs on his cheek before kissing it gently. He could've spent eternity like this, just sitting with his husband and sharing shit homemade baked goods.

2D could barely cook so any sort of food was good to him. Besides, it was the thought that counted. "I could stay like this forever~" he purred leaning against his lover as he gazed into his eyes.

Murdoc brushed some stray hair out of Stuart's eyes before softly kissing him. "Me too." He'd given up on the food, just wanting to cuddle with the other. He looked up at their surroundings, the little lights contrasting against the darkness of the night made the scene look like something out of a fairytale.

Murdoc held him tight, following his gaze. They hadn't been out a great deal of time so the sky was still extremely dark. The coven would be awake now so they'd better get back. "C'mon, lovely. Finish your food and we'll go, yeah?"

Stuart finished quickly, smiling up at the primus as he got up. "Thank you, for everything." 

Murdoc grabbed the basket in one hand before stroking the other down 2D's side. "You're always welcome, darlin'," he said before leading his lover back along the path and through the forest.


End file.
